


Singularity Transfer

by Nornfang



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-04-21 15:24:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 19
Words: 118,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14287854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nornfang/pseuds/Nornfang
Summary: 17-year-old, Matt Webster, works for the research organization, “Atomic Transportation Research Organization” (ATRO). Under certain circumstances, Webster is forced to use a time machine and finds himself not in the past, but what seems to be another world! What’s worse is that he has no memories of his identity prior to his arrival. What will be of Webster in this “new world?” What evil could be lurking in its shadows? (Feel free to point out any spelling or grammatical error and I’ll fix it ASAP!)





	1. Guardian Angel

**Author's Note:**

> This story is based off of many anime/manga/light novels including, but not limited to, Steins;Gate, Re:Zero, Konosuba, and many other well known series. Similar to Re;Zero, this story takes the “in another world” theme used commonly through media and defies your expectations. Also, everything in the story, including magic, has an explanation as to how it works! I hope to upload a new chapter about once a week, but production will be slowed during the summer season.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We’re not at A.T.R.O anymore...

Prologue

 

    Today is a seemingly normal day. I’m in the lounge, where I spend most of my time when I’m not accompanying my father. I take a sip from the mug in my hand, the hot liquid inside scorches my tongue, forcing me to nearly drop the mug and spill some coffee. I glance at my ID badge to make sure it’s still clean. “Matthew Webster, 16.” I see my stupid face on it. Black unstyled hair, and blue eyes. It’s a boring look that could act as a blank slate for characters in books and shows. After seeing that it doesn’t have a single drop on it, I take it off and set it on the table just in case. I continue to stare at the tablet I bring to work every day. It could be argued that I’m currently slacking off, but I don’t really do that much at my job.

          I “work” for the maintenance crew at the building established by the Atomic Transportation Research Organization (ATRO), which my father, John “Titor” Webster, owns. His nickname comes from the infamous John Titor hoax 53 years ago, which was the year 2000. My father put me on this job as an excuse for me to come to work with him. I’m supposed to go around and check if everything is working and report anything suspicious. Really, I get paid to do nothing, though I can’t complain since I don’t really do anything more at home than I do at ATRO.

          I get up to go to the restroom, and on my way I hear the conversations of some scientists. Usually, it’s mundane stuff, or things that ordinary people like myself can’t even understand. I still force myself to listen.

         “Do you think those anomalies could be related to our research?” I hear one man say.

          “No, it’s just some prankster fooling with us. We’ll catch him soon,” replies the other man standing in front of him.

        The anomalies. Recently there has been a few strange energy readings around the building. What’s strange is that these anomalies occur in the areas that I often visit. The people who know more about it seem to be hiding something, but apparently, no one has actually directly seen an anomaly occur. I fear what would happen if I were caught up in the middle of one. I clear my mind and continue walking.

         I finish up in the restroom. On my way back to the lounge I overhear yet another conversation.

         “Are you going to the presentation today? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing, it’d be a waste to miss out on it!”

        Dammit, I forgot! The presentation is from my own father, a mad scientist devoted to ATRO’s research of atomic transportation by unconventional methods. This, naturally, includes teleportation, time travel, and even trans-dimensional travel. Until recently, the possibility of using one of these methods of transportation was thought to be impossible until my father’s research group developed a lead in time travel. Now he has developed a prototype time machine and plans to present it. One time, I was told how it works, but I was dozing off. The presentation starts… Damn! In five minutes!

         I change my direction to find the presentation theater where my father and the machine are. The building is like a maze to me so by the time I get there the presentation will probably be half over. There are no maps on the walls, and there are no signs that direct you to where a certain room is. I start walking faster and hope I don’t get lost. Seriously, who designed this place? I feel like a mouse stuck in a maze.

         I arrive just as he starts the presentation. Alongside my father is his group of researchers. Sometimes I catch them observing me, but I don’t know why. It’s probably because I’m their lead scientist’s son. This group includes a red-haired woman, a shorter black-haired woman, a rather scrawny looking man with messy black hair, and a larger brown-haired man. I, being his son, stand next to him on the stage and make sure everything is in order. “We’ve been working hard for the past year,” says the red-haired woman. “And today, we finally get to present the results to all of you! We thank all of you who have funded us, and everyone who is here today for your support! Oh, that goes for everyone watching us on TV, too!” The audience claps and cheers.

         “With this machine, we can do the impossible!” exclaims the scrawny man. “We do not want to change the past from before this day because we can not determine the outcome, but think of all the future crises we could prevent! For example, if a Third World War were to break out, we could go back to prevent it!”

         “You could also use it to redo that embarrassing thing you did in front of your crush!” says the larger man. The crowd laughs.

         “We know it could be used for bad things, but we all want to do good things that will help everyone!” says the shorter woman.

         I don’t have anything to say, so I just stand and listen. I find that just standing here is tiring, and my mind goes to other places. I barely notice my father saying that he’s planning on sending a time capsule to the future with “personal items.” I don’t even know what these items are, nor do I really care.

             The curtain behind us rises and I see the machine for the first time. The machine is operated from the outside to prevent an accident. It’s shaped like a large, steel capsule that has some Tesla coil-like things on the top of it. It’s large enough to fit a whole person, but of course, we won’t be sending anyone on a test run until after we run tests on plants and animals. For now, we are going to stick with inanimate objects.

         “...Exactly how it works… Well, I’m afraid I cannot say, but what I CAN say is that using the latest technology and scientific breakthroughs, it just works! Now, I will demonstrate it to all of you!”

        As my father starts up the device, a loud crash comes from above. I look up to see the skylights shattered, and men with guns entering the theater. Everyone is screaming, most people are running, some are too scared to move. Then, the men burst into the theater from the doors and order everyone to stay still. What the hell are these guys doing?!

         “We are the Global Unification Society! Do as we say, and we can guarantee your safety! That goes for everyone except for you guys on the stage!”

         The Global Unification Society, “GUS.” They are a terrorist organization that seeks to unite all of the world’s major powers to form some sort of super-government. I didn’t think I could be a victim of one of their attacks.

         “Time machines are too dangerous to be made!” one man shouts. “You could destroy the whole world with that damned thing if it works!”

         Then, I notice that they are pointing at us. My heart stops. They aim their rifles at us. _Boom_. A sharp pain enters my shin.

        “Aaargh!” I scream. I stumble for a bit before falling over into the machine. Blood is leaking from the hole that is now in my leg. I can’t move, I can’t speak, but somehow I am not dead. I’m in a state of shock and can’t control myself anymore. _Boom_. Another shot. I hear another scream, and a thump on the floor. “I… don’t want… to die…” This process continues two more times. Finally, I hear one last shot and one last scream. I distinguish the voice to be my father’s. He falls next to me, I can see the new hole in his lab coat. He slowly drags himself towards me as if he’s trying not to be seen. Then he whispers into my ear.

         “You’re going to save the world. I’m so proud of you. You’re going to be a _hero._ ” He pulls the rest of my body into the machine.

         “Alright guys, they’re down! Secure the building! Take the civilians hostage, we don’t need any of ‘em dead!” The armed men think we’re dead on the ground and start to flee the scene. While they aren’t looking, my dad pulls himself up, exits the machine, and locks the door. I want to ask him why and tell him to stop, but I am too weak to move. I feel my consciousness fade. I can hear someone pressing buttons on the outside of the machine. I want to scream, but I can’t. Then, I hear the flip of a switch. It’s done. The machine starts to shake and rumble. There’s a buzzing that’s gradually getting louder.

         “That guy’s not dead! Shoot him!” What I hear next is footsteps coming onto the stage, and two men screaming. There was some struggling, but in the end there was a shot followed by a loud thump on the floor. There’s fast footsteps running off the stage. That couldn’t be… Dad, could it? No, he was just shot, there’s no way he could’ve gotten out of that. I hear the strange buzzing noises, and reality becomes blurry. What I’m seeing is straight from a sci-fi movie, it looks almost like I’m traveling through a wormhole. It feels like I’m asleep. That’s all this is, right? A dream? It has to be. That would explain everything that I’m seeing right now.

 

* * *

 

Chapter 1, “Guardian Angel”

 

         I awaken. I’m laying down on a comfortable bed. For some reason, I’m wet in various spots. I open my eyes, but there’s something strange about the room I’m in. I find that I don’t recognize it. This is my home, right? What’s different about it? The room resembles something from a fantasy roleplaying game, specifically something made for royalty. The house was probably built a long time ago, but everything looks relatively new and clean. I still don’t recognize it so I decided that the best decision is to investigate. I make an attempt to get up, but a sharp pain enters my shin. “Ah! Dammit!” I shout as I fall over. Then there’s a series of thumps from outside the room. Someone is coming up a set of stairs. “Please, help me!” I beg to whoever is outside the door. It swings open suddenly.

         “Are you okay?!” The voice of a girl. I don’t recognize it.

         “Yeah, I’m… fine. My leg just hurts a little…” I say while grinding my teeth together. I try to get up. She crouches down and stops me.

         “An injury like yours should hurt a lot even after it’s been healed! Don’t try walking on your own, okay?” the girl says.

         I look up to see a young woman, probably around 16 years old. Long silver hair, sky blue eyes, smooth light skin. The sunlight is shining on her face. She’s wearing an unusual dress, it looks almost like a costume of a princess. This girl looks like the embodiment of an angel. She picks me up and lowers me back into the bed.

         “T-thank you…” I manage to say. Instinctively I ask, “Who are you? Do you know why I’m here?”

         “I found you two days ago passed out under a tree with a strange hole in your leg. It looks like you were shot with an arrow. I’ve washed you several times, so you don’t need to worry an infection or bathing for today.” That explains the wetness in my hair and my leg. “And you can call me ‘Tenshi.’” Her voice is gentle. It makes me feel warm.

         I look at my leg to find that it is completely sealed. If there truly was an arrow there, it should have taken weeks, if not months, to heal, not just a couple days. Tenshi puts on an innocent smile. That smile is precious. I can tell right away that Tenshi is pure-hearted and kind.

         “Wait, an arrow? As in a bow and arrow?” I question.

         “Yes, I don’t know what else it could be. The wound was unique from most arrow injuries. The arrow itself was gone when I found you, so maybe it was a magic…” Tenshi replies.

         “Magic? You’re joking, right?”

         “Joking? I used healing magic to seal your wound. It won’t bleed, of course, but the pain will stay for a bit.”

         “You’re taking this joke a little too far…”

          Tenshi tilts her head and stares at me in curiosity. The awkwardness makes my heart start to race. I can feel sweat start to break out.

          “Erm… May I take a look out that window?” I ask nervously.

          “Of course!” Tenshi helps me stand up. She supports me on my walk to the window on the other side of the room. I look outside. The first thing I notice is that we are on a second or third floor, so this house must be massive. Beyond the wall outside of the house is an open countryside. The trees are decorated in leaves with shades of red, orange, and yellow. In the distance is a large town. I can see a couple horse-drawn carriages traveling on some roads. There’s no pavement. The location of the sun indicates that it’s the evening.

          “Wow… This is real?”

          Tenshi lets out an innocent laugh.

         “Of course it is, silly,” Tenshi says innocently. “Oh,  now that you know mine… what’s your name?”

         “Oh, it’s…!” I dive into the depths of my memory, but I can’t even find a hint of my identity.

         “I… don’t know.”

         “You don’t know?”

         “I… can’t remember.”

          Tenshi stares at me with sympathy. I don’t remember doing anything to deserve this girl’s kindness, or anything at all before I woke up...

        “...Do you remember where you live? I could take you home after you recover…”

        “I… don’t remember that, either… I don’t remember anything about myself…”

        “That’s awful! Your family must be worried sick about you not being home… Hmmm… I’ll let you stay here.”

        “Huh? Why’s that?” I ask. I’m not as concerned about why she said that as I am about staying at some incredibly cute girl’s house for almost no reason. I don’t even deserve such a thing, even if it’s just because I’m injured or I’ve lost my memories.

        “ If your family or friends notice that you’re missing, someone might come looking for you soon.”

        “Ah, I see. Thank you, Tenshi.” Tenshi smiles again and says “For you, it’s no problem!”

        “So… let’s talk about you,” I say almost automatically. “Who is your family?”

        “My father, Meiyo Shugosha, is the king of this country.”

        “Huh?! You’re the King’s daughter?! Shouldn’t you be working with him or something?!” It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense as to why a King would leave his daughter alone in what seems to be a big mansion, and with some guy that she found by the road.

         “Well, I’m his only daughter, so he wants me to find someone to marry who can be the next king.” Wait, she’s looking for someone to marry?! Well, I doubt that I qualify. Then again, she’s letting me stay here and she did say something odd earlier, “for you.” Maybe she’s testing me. But still, I’m really a nobody and don’t even remember where I’m from or who my family is. Speaking of where I’m from...

         “Tenshi,” I ask, “did I have anything with me when you found me?”

         “Oh, yes! You had this with you.” Tenshi sets me down so that I’m sitting on the floor. She then takes out something from under the bed. It’s a strange metal box with a lock that needs a passcode to open. On the side of it is a label that says “Webster.” I feel like I should remember that, but I can’t. It’s some sort of deja vu.

        “It won’t open no matter what I do. I don’t want to break it because whatever is inside might break, too.” In a friendly manner, I laugh at Tenshi. She looks at me in curiosity again. “That’s because it’s locked with a passcode. You need to know the code to open it.”

         “A passcode lock? Your people must be amazing to be able to create something like this!”

         “No, this really isn’t anything special.” I barely remember much from before I woke up here. I remember certain things about technology such as mobile phones and other basic everyday items. Somehow, the only memories that I’ve seemed to have lost are about my identity. I must have hit my head and got amnesia.

         “Even if that’s true, I think it’s interesting! Does it use magic?” Tenshi’s enthusiasm puts me in a good mood.

         “I don’t know exactly how it works, but I don’t think it uses magic. Honestly, I don’t think that magic even exists.”

         “But it does! Like I said, I used it to heal you.”

         “Hmm… Well, about that… You saved my life… Do I owe you, or something?”  My own life has a lot of value, even if I don’t have any memories. She probably wants whatever is in the box, but I don’t even know if that has any value.

         “No, I don’t see why you should. It’s common sense to help someone in need!” Her purity warms my heart. “You’re too kind, Tenshi.” She smiles again and says, “You have a nice smile.” My heart starts to race, and before I can form a response my stomach saves the situation by letting out a growl. Almost instinctively, Tenshi says, “I’ll go make you a meal!” She returns me to my bed and exits the room. I wonder why she’s being so kind to me. My conclusion is that she’s probably like this to everyone.

         As I lay in bed, I feel something in my pocket. It’s rectangular in shape and is solid. I take the object out of my pocket. It’s a smartphone, assumably mine. If I just turn it on I could regain at least some of my memories. I press the button, but there is no response. The crack in the screen and scratches on it indicate that it’s probably more than just a dead battery. I angrily try smacking it with my hands in hopes that it will magically turn on, but still there’s nothing.

         “Dammit! This stupid piece of junk!” Even if it was just a dead battery, I don’t have a charger. Then I realize that this room has no outlets on the wall. There are no lights, not including the wall-mounted candles. How could this be a bedroom without any electricity? This house must be a mansion, it likely is worth a fortune, and there’s no electricity?! I decide to take a nap. It’ll be awhile before Tenshi finishes cooking. I close my eyes and try to ignore the pain in my leg.

                                                                                       . . .

         I see myself in a dark void. There’s a large swirling mass that’s pulling me in. Within the mass, I see a strange metal container with buttons on the side of it. I reach out to it. There’s a voice, it whispers from my left ear to my right. “The device scans you and turns you into data before opening a rift within space-time itself, also known as a black hole. Unlike the ones in space, this one is smaller and much more stable. This data is sent through the black hole as you are 'deatomized. ' When the black hole opens on the ‘other side,’ your data is combined with your atoms which forces you to reform. If this data becomes corrupted by any means, you might as well be dead.” The voice echoes. “You’re going to save us all.” Then I see flashes of electricity as the metal device fades away into the void. There’s nothing left but me and the dark mass. As I drift closer, another voice starts to speak. It’s different than the first one. “Xeno… Xeno!”

         “Xeno! I’ve brought you dinner. Please eat it, I’ve made it for you.”  It’s Tenshi. I look at the plate that she’s holding. There is a piece of steak and some vegetables. Alongside it is a glass of water. It looks a little fancy. It’s then that I notice that I’m starved.

         “Thank you, Ten- Wait, ‘Xeno?’ What’s that about?” I noticed that Tenshi called me that. “Xeno.”

         “Oh, it means ‘stranger.’ I thought I should call you that at least until you remember your name. If you don’t end up remembering, ‘Xeno’ still sounds cool. Anyway, eat up! Not everyone gets to eat these!”

         “Huh? Why’s that?”

         “Most people can’t afford these expensive foods. These are the best quality foods in the market!” Now she’s feeding me a first class meal that I doubt I myself could ever afford.

         As Tenshi explains that, I find that the steak is cooked perfectly and that the taste is unlike anything I’ve had before. It’s fresh and seasoned with spices. The cow that was slaughtered for this meat must have been raised with great care.

         “This is great! Thank you, Tenshi!”

         “I’m glad you like it! But make sure you eat your vegetables, too!” Tenshi smiles and lets out a giggle. When I finish my meal, Tenshi points to something on the table next to the bed. “By the way, what is that?” It’s my phone.

        “Oh, that’s just my smartphone.” Tenshi has that curious look again. “I can use it to contact other people and take pictures.”

        “You mean you can talk with other people? And by pictures, do you mean like a painting? How long does it take?”

         “You can only talk with people who have another phone, and the pictures are instant. Here, let me show you...” I try to take a picture of Tenshi who is looking to me with that curious look of hers and show it to her. Unfortunately, it’s still broken.

         “Dammit, this thing is done for.”

         “Is it broken?”

         “Yeah, but if it weren’t I could probably find out who I am.”

         “Maybe we can find someone to fix it…” Huh? Did she just say ‘we?’ As in, she’d go with me? Anyway…

         “Well, if you’ve never seen anything like this before and you’re the King’s own daughter, then I doubt there’s anyone else who even knows what it is.”

         “That’s unfortunate,” Tenshi says with a sad face. “Even though it’s broken, that machine is amazing. Are you sure you’re people aren’t skilled with magic?”

         “No, I know for a fact that it’s not magic, but I don’t know exactly how it works.”

         “Your people must be incredibly powerful to make something like this without magic! I wish I could meet them!”

         “Me too… You know what I mean.” Tenshi has completely worn me out. It’s not that she’s difficult to talk to, but I can’t believe that she’s here spending time with me. “I think I’m going to go to sleep now, I’m exhausted,” I mutter while yawning.

         “Goodnight, Xeno,” Tenshi replies. “Get some rest, okay?” I could have sworn that I saw a show, or read a book, where the same thing happened… Where some girl who is essentially a princess saves some random guy on the street… She won’t extract information from me and leave me for dead, will she? Or even worse, she’s not going to fall in love with me or anything, right?! My only bit of hope that my life doesn’t turn into some sort of Japanese light novel is that I don’t remember a lot of things properly and that whatever I’m thinking of may only be my imagination.

         When Tenshi left the room I found that a tension in my chest had relieved. I checked my pulse. My heart was beating quickly. Some sort of anxiety also had relieved. What is this? I decide not to think about it and try to go to sleep. I feel some sort of presence in the room, which makes me feel comfortable. After a moment, I persuade myself that no one is here besides Tenshi, who is now somewhere outside.

         The following morning, I find myself in the same bed. Whatever I saw last night wasn’t a dream. I look at the table on my right to see a fresh plate of food and a note that’s written in some strange language. I stare at it to see if someone comes to mind, but it’s not even a language I recognize, let alone able to read, like German, or Russian. It’s written entirely in symbols I’m unfamiliar with. I assume it says something along the lines of “Goodmorning,” or “Eat up and leave.” The fact that Tenshi stated she’d let me stay automatically eliminates the second possibility. I decide to let my stomach do the thinking for me and take the plate.

         After I finish up, I place the plate back on the table. I summon the energy to get up, but the pain in my leg is still present. It’s not as intense as yesterday so I can force myself to walk, but with a limp. I open the door to see a maid pass by. Her outfit is typical of her profession. She has long blonde hair, long ears, and blue eyes. There’s a blank expression on her face.

         “Master, you are advised to stay in bed until tomorrow unless you have plans for today.” Her tone is flat.

         “Master? What do you mean? I don’t live here.”

         “The Mistress has allowed you to stay here. Everyone who stays is considered my master.” I’m only staying here temporarily, aren’t I? I’m just a guest. I’ll probably be gone in a week…

         “Did… What was her name? Tenshi? Did Tenshi mention how long I’m staying for?”

         “I cannot confirm that. I am unaware of the date of your departure. I assume it will be until you are able to walk without difficulty.”

         That’s strange. She finds some guy on the ground, brings him in to heal, and then lets him stay? Well, she is a girl, after all. It’s only natural if she… No, wait. It can’t be that. Marriage would mean determining the future king of the country. I’m not fit to be the king of a country I’m not even familiar with. It was probably just a lucky encounter for someone this kind to find me.

         “I suggest that you lay down. I’ll call the Mistress for you.” I do as she suggests. Suddenly, there’s a smug look on her face. “Don’t get any indecent ideas when you’re alone with her. She’s the princess, after all.”

         “Huh?! No, I wouldn’t do something like-!” The door shuts. I didn’t expect such a remark from such an emotionless maid.

         After a moment, I hear someone coming up the stairs. The door opens.

         “Are you okay? Can you walk?”

         “I could be better, I guess. I can walk, but it still hurts a little. Also, I think your maid is evil.”

         “What maid?” Tenshi asks. My heart stops, a chill travels through my body.

         “Y-you have a maid, right?!” If that wasn’t a maid, then what did I see? Was it someone impersonating a maid? An assassin?! What are they here for?

         “Of course!” Tenshi laughs with me, but I myself not laughing. Her cute laugh makes me smile anyway.

         “You can’t go messing with my emotions like that! It’s not fair.”

         “I’m a girl, Xeno. I get to tease you all I want!”

         “Aw, now you’re just being mean! Aren’t I your guest?” It’s common courtesy to show respect to guests. I figured this would apply to royalty.

         “I think that you’re fun to talk with. If we don’t find your people, you can live here with me!”

         “Okay. I feel like I’m being conned. What’s the catch?”

         “Hmm… The catch is that I won’t let you eat anyone else’s cooking. Not even from the maid.”

         “I… don’t have much of a problem with that. You made my dinner and breakfast, didn’t you? That’s not much of a catch.”

         “Then you don’t have any problems with staying here, do you?”

         “Well… Ahaha…” I probably shouldn’t tell her that I, a guy, am completely vulnerable to what I call “rom-com scenarios” if I stay with her. Those scenes in shows where a guy accidentally walks into a room where a girl is bathing or dressing. Then again, the fact that she said that she can tease me however much she pleases makes me think that she already knows. “I guess not.”

         “Anyway, Xeno…” I’m not sure if I’m comfortable with that name just yet, but I don’t remember my old name. “Do you know about any friends or family?”

         “No…” I try hard to remember, but I fail. “I can’t remember.”

         “Well… I’ll be your friend, okay? Not a lot of people can say that they’re friends with the Princess!” So, she doesn’t have many friends? So she isn’t this kind to everyone? No, it must be that she doesn’t get the chance to talk with others that much. The city is a few kilometers out from here.  No wonder why she’d want to get a little closer to someone who isn’t going to be going away any time soon.

         “Wait, should I call you by your last name? You’re the Princess and all…”

         “We’re friends now, so you can just call me ‘Tenshi’ like I told you, okay?” Tenshi Shugosha, the daughter of the country’s King, is telling me to address her by first name. This entire situation is quite the oddball.

         “I… uh… Anyway… could you tell me about a little about the country? I don’t know anything about it, so I’m probably a foreigner..” Tenshi sits on the side of my bed. I sit up beside her.

         “This country is called ‘Unmei.’ It’s one of the greatest and most peaceful countries on the planet, which is called ‘Saisei.’ According to legends, the last war that took place here was hundreds of centuries ago..”

         “What happened back then? Do you know?”

         “Based on the legends told by our ancestors, the King at the time was an evil tyrant. He was also an alchemist and used his skills to bring chaos. Someone in the Shugosha bloodline banished him and took the throne. There was also a hero who fought him.”

         “A hero? This sounds like a storybook.”

         “Apparently she looked like me! It might even be all fiction, but it’s fun to read about!”

         “Yeah, I think I used to think about what it would be like to be one of those heroes. I don’t remember that much about those stories, though.”

         “Hmm… If you’re the hero, then I can be the beautiful princess who gets married to him!”

         “Ahaha… Yeah… ” I put on a fake smile. Is she trying to embarrass me? “Well, you are a princess, aren’t you? Why waste your time on some commoner like me, anyway?”

         “Maybe you were someone important before you lost your memories?”

         “I don’t think so… If I were, I probably wouldn’t let myself get attacked like I did.”  

         “Even if you aren’t anyone special, I still like you!” Huh?! What’s the deal with this girl?!

         “Don’t say something that could be misinterpreted so easily like that!” I shout.

         “Friends don’t get along if they don’t like each other! Even you should know that, Xeno!” I’m not sure if Tenshi is just airheaded or is actually extremely smart and likes to tease me. I sigh. Tenshi hops off the bed and faces me.

         “Wanna see the rest of the house?” She smiles brightly at me.

         “Sure, I guess…” Tenshi extends her hand towards me.

         “Your leg still hurts, right? If you hold my hand, I can catch you if you fall!” Oh, Tenshi. You mischievous, innocent girl. Someone, please save me before I embarrass myself! Somehow, I summon the effort to grab her hand. It feels smaller than I expected, and it’s pleasantly warm. It almost fits perfectly in my own hand, like it was fated to be.

         I was right, this place is a mansion. The layout is quite simple. The entire structure is just a big rectangle, so it’s not easy to get lost. Downstairs, there’s a bathing room with two baths separated by a wall. This is likely to separate male and females. Of course, the next room over is a restroom. There’s also a dining room and some storage closets. Somehow, there’s a couple of in-door garden rooms. Finally, they some miscellaneous rooms including a lounge-like area and a library. Some sort of magic orbs of light act as a replacement for actual sunlight for the plants and grasses. By night, they dissipate and appear again by morning. Then there’s a staircase to the next floor. Upstairs is where the bedrooms are. There’s my room, Tenshi’s room, a room for the maid, another guest room, and a large locked door. I assume that it’s another closet, but the door is decorated and fancy.

         “There’s not a lot of bedrooms for a house of royalty…”

         “Some of the storage rooms downstairs were designed to be bedrooms, but we don’t usually have enough people over to use them all.”

         “Is there a yard, or something? A place this big surely has something like that.”

         “Yes! This plot of land is massive! There’s a lot of open space in the backyard! Wanna see it?”

         “Sure.” Tenshi leads me to the backyard.

         It truly is massive. There’s about half a square kilometer of space before being walled off. There are several pathways surrounded by hedges that go around the whole yard. There’s a water fountain on each of the 4 sides. In the center, besides the grass that seems to be full of life, is a gazebo. The low level of sound is calming, the entire area gives off peaceful vibes.

         “Can I check out that gazebo?”

         “Of course! The walk might be a little long, though…”

         It only takes a couple of minutes. When we reach the gazebo, I stand inside and gaze at the sky. I see the blue colors of the sky and white fluffy clouds. The atmosphere is almost unnaturally clean. The air is fresh. The plants seem healthy, despite the slight coldness in the air. I wonder, what will be of my future? What happened in my past? Are these really things I am meant to know? Hopefully, one day I’ll get the answers.

* * *

 

Chapter 1+

 

         I awaken for the third time in the mansion. Still not familiar with my surroundings, I get up to investigate. Why am I still here? Oh, right, I’m injured… Or at least I was. The pain that was in my leg is no longer present. How the hell would a wound from an arrow, which apparently punctured my leg, completely heal in less than a week? Well, it’s whatever. I approach the door and open it. It swings inwards swiftly, and almost silently. I begin to take a few steps outside when… 

         “Kya!” Someone shouts. The surprise encounter makes me stumble and fall to the floor. 

         “Are you okay? Should you be in bed?” It takes a moment for me to recognize the voice.

         “Oh… Princess?” Suddenly, she seems angry at me. 

         “No, no, that won’t do!” Her voice indicates that she’s not actually angry, but she wants to drill whatever information she’s about to tell me into my head. “I told you just to call me by my first name!” 

         “Oh, it’s… Tenri?” My cognitive skills haven’t started working so early in the day. I’m still not sure why someone of such a high status would willingly agree to be my friend. 

         “Not quite! It’s Tenshi! You should remember it!”

         “Right… Tenshi…” She helps me stand back up. The warmth in her hand is pleasant. 

         “Hey, hey, Xeno!” Her eyes are full of life and joy. I guess I don’t mind if we become friends… Yeah, friends… Just friends…    “What would you like for breakfast?” 

         “Oh, um… Anything goes, really.” It’s not like I know what’s on the menu at the Shugosha residence. Tenshi lives alone out here with the maid, doesn’t she? Does the maid actually do anything? Is she omnipresent or something? Well, that’s none of my business. 

         “Alright! Please wait for a bit, I’ll go get something ready!” She eagerly runs to the kitchen. 

        After about 10 minutes, Tenshi calls me down to the kitchen. “Xeno, come eat!” What could possibly take only 10 minutes to prepare? Toast? Of course she wouldn’t make anything special for a freeloader. I walk downstairs and enter the kitchen. When I sit down, I see a plate in front of me. 

         An array of fresh, brightly colored vegetables are set on one side. Each are cut into bite-sized pieces. On the other side is several slices of what seems to be bread made from wheat. Tenshi seats herself directly next to me, with what seems to be the same exact dish. I immediately sample both the bread and the vegetables. The flavor explodes in my mouth.

         “Oh, this is pretty good! What are you doing giving the peasantly freeloader actually good food?” The first few times was understandable, but it’s obvious that this isn’t going to stop.  

         “We’re friends now, aren’t we? And breakfast is an important meal, so it wouldn’t be healthy to give you something bad.”

         “Yeah, we’ve only known each other for… three days? When did I win over your affection? If you’re gonna send your maid to kill me or something, just skip to that, please…” 

         “Do you… not like me?” Her expression changes from joy to a little bit of sadness. Dammit, hit with such a difficult question! I refuse to spark a romantic comedy! 

         “Oh, it’s not that I don’t like you…” I have to say something or else Tenshi will probably give me the boot. “It’s just strange to treat a stranger like this. It’s not like I’m being productive or anything.” 

         “You don’t have anywhere to go, do you? Well, you can stay here for as long as you’d like!” 

         “You say that, but wait until you get sick of me…” I finish my dish, as does Tenshi. 

         “No, no! You’ll stay here until someone comes for you!” 

         “Sounds like I don’t have a choice in the matter…” 

         “You don’t!” Well, I guess she doesn’t want me going out and getting shot at again. Who the hell just shoots a traveler and runs away? How did I get amnesia from that? The shock? Clearly, I didn’t hit my head on anything, otherwise it would hurt like hell. If Tenshi healed it, she probably would’ve mentioned it. I suppose what has already happened can’t be helped. 

         “Good grief,” I sigh. “Do you have a change of clothes? I could use a bath.” 

         “Of course! I’ll get you a towel, too!” 

         “Thank you…” Tenshi disappears momentarily. I hope this girl doesn’t have a boyfriend… he’d probably kill me if he saw us… Well, she doesn’t seem like the type to cheat. Maybe she’s playing dumb? Scratch that, why would she even fall in love with me? She’s totally my type, though, so I feel a little anxious when thinking about this. 

         Anyway, I somehow make my way to the bathroom. I place the clothes and towel beside the bath, which is built into the ground. It’s approximately ten meters wide and long, forming a square. Hot water floats from the center and radiates outward. I wonder if this is powered by magic… 

         “Xeno!” I hear someone shout from an adjacent room. Is that… the opposite bathroom? “Xeno! Are you alright in there?” Is that… Tenshi?! Is she bathing in the next room?! 

         “Y-Yeah, I’m fine! Why?”

         “Oh! I thought that you must have passed out! I’d have come in there to get you out!” She would’ve WHAT?! 

         “No, I’m fine! I’ll get out in a minute!” Completely thrown off guard, I hurry out of the bath and dry myself. After that, I throw on my clothes and head out. When I open the door, I am surprised by a certain silver-haired girl. 

         “Ah!” I shout, and nearly fall backwards. Tenshi begins to giggle at me. She has an incredible adorable laugh. I can’t get angry at her. 

         “Sorry, sorry!” 

         “Oh… What were you doing there?” 

         “I thought I should surprise you!” She must’ve actually taken a bath, because she now smells like some sort of perfume. It’s pleasant, and not unbearable. It smells like some sort of flower, and it matches her personality.

         “Yeah, well… looks like it worked…” I’m not really scared anymore, but something is keeping my heart flying. Direct eye contact with Tenshi has been broken. 

         “Xeno!” 

         “Huh? Did you say something?” My focus returns. 

         “You look cute when you blush!” Again, I’ve been caught completely off guard. Things that seem to resemble syllables of words fly out of my mouth, but nothing distinguishable is said. “But I like it better when you smile!” She reaches out her hands, grabs my cheeks, and forces a smile. “See? Like this…” She lets go just as fast as she grabbed them. Somehow, the smile is now fixed upon my face. 

         “Oh… What the heck?” We both begin to laugh. 

         Tenshi quickly mutters something that was almost inaudible. I’m not exactly sure what she said, but it was something along the lines of “Xeno, please stay with me forever…” As she said this, her face was glum. It was only for a brief moment in my peripheral vision, but I’m sure that it wasn’t some sort of illusion. 

         “Sorry, did you say something?” 

         “Nothing at all, nothing at all!” Tenshi assures me. 

         “...Right… Anyway, are we going to do anything today?” I decided to change the subject because I don’t want to pry into her personal business. Still, that was quite unusual. If she said what I think she did, which she most likely did not, then that would mean that the Princess is opening up to me after a mere three days. What exactly has this girl been through? Why does she seem to think so highly of me?

         “I thought we could walk along the road and ask if anyone passing by recognizes you,” Tenshi replies. Based on the tone of her voice she seems a little disappointed as if she doesn’t want to return my to where I cam from just yet. I’m not sure if I want to understand her feelings. Anyway… 

         “The weather seems decent today… What time of the year is it? I don’t even remember that,” I ask Tenshi. 

         “It’s the middle of Autumn,” she replies quickly. 

         “Yeah, I suppose we should find out where I’m from before the Winter… Come on, we should start while it’s still early.” 

         “Right…” Did I do something to her? Well, I am, in a way, being a burden to the Princess of this country, so I couldn’t blame her if she’s annoyed at my very presence. I follow Tenshi outside to the front yard, and eventually past a large metal gate. 

         “I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like standing or walking the whole time we’re out here,” I complain. “Is there somewhere I, or we, could sit down?” 

         “Hmm… I think so. I’ll take you.” She walks down the road, and I follow. The sun is shining, and some clouds are drifting gently across the sky. Without the sun’s light to warm the air, it would feel a little chilly. 

         Eventually, we reach our destination. It’s some sort of tree, with a rock under it. The rock is large enough and at a perfect level for the two of us to sit it. The tree resembles a cherry blossom tree, but it seems dead and lacks the bright pink flowers that should sprout all over it. The tree almost seems to be out of place, in the middle of a large area of gentle hills with no other trees surrounding it. There’s also what seems to be dried blood on the ground by the tree’s trunk. I sit on the rock. 

         “Is this where you found me?” I ask. 

         “Yes. I can’t imagine what you were doing out here all alone.” The road is about ten meters away from this site, so it  _ is  _ odd that I was over here and not by the road. Tenshi places her hand on her chest. “It must’ve been fate that I found you.” 

         “What were you even doing out here? It’s quite a bit away from the mansion…” 

         “I thought that it was a good day to take a walk. I was walking around here when I heard this weird noise… It was like ‘ _ Bzzzt, bzzzt! _ ’ Almost like arc-magic! When I went to see what it was, and I found you!” I’m going to assume “arc-magic” is similar to electricity. 

         “Well… I’m glad that you found me…”

         “So am I,” Tenshi says. There’s a strange tone in her voice. I decide to ask her about what she thinks of me. She keeps acting… strange… and it has gotten me curious. 

         “Tenshi, why are you-.” I immediately get interrupted.

         “Look, there’s someone on the road!” There’s some sort of horse drawn caravan, likely heading for the city. “Princess Shugosha? How do you do today?” The man steering it greets us as he passes. 

         “I’m fine, thank you! Have you seen this boy anywhere? He woke up here and lost his memories several days ago.” 

         “You mean, him? Huh… I can’t say I’ve seen him around… He seems to be a foreigner. That being said, I’m not sure how he got here.” 

         “Oh, alright… Thank you for your time, sir,” Tenshi sends him off. 

         “A foreigner? I doubt I’d be traveling by foot…” Maybe I was attacked by a mage and they ran off with all of my belongings other than that metal box. If I can’t open it, neither could they. 

         “If we can’t figure this out, you’re free to stay at my home!” 

         “And be a freeloader for the rest of my life? Tempting, but… Oh, there’s another person!” It’s just a man on a horse, but he seems to be some sort of noble based on his attire. Tenshi and I approach him. 

         “Princess? Oh, hello! Have you found someone yet?” He asks a strange question that I don’t understand. Clearly, it was directed at Tenshi. 

         “Hmm…” She glances at me for a split second, “Not yet. I’ll need some more time,” she replies. 

         “You’d best do it quickly! You’re already almost an adult, you’ll be Queen before you know it!” 

         “I understand, but that aside… This boy is lost. Have you seen him before? Do you have any idea where he may be from?” 

         “You mean him? Sorry, I’ve got no idea. I have to get going now, I hope you find his home soon!” 

         “Thank you very much, sir!” This process repeats several times before the sun begins to set. Each time, we get no results. Not even passing explorers had any idea. When the return home, I find myself to be exhausted.

          “...I’m gonna go to bed a little early,” I say.

          “You haven’t even eaten dinner yet! You should eat first!”  

          “Oh, I’m not hungry right now. I’ll just go to sleep. I’ll get something if I wake up before morning. It seems like you have to find me somewhere to stay…” 

         “You don’t need to worry about that! Just go to your room and rest! You mustn’t exhaust yourself!”  

         “Okay, okay,” I reply weakly. I use the last of my strength to go up the stairs and throw myself in bed. In mere minutes, I pass out. 

         When I awaken, I find that it’s difficult to move. I also feel uncomfortably warm. I try again and again the get out of bed, but the unusual weight holds me down. I decide to call for help.

         “Hello?! I could use some help! Someone!” After a moment, the door opens. 

         “Are you alright, Master?” It’s the maid. 

         “Could you get Tenshi for me? And you don’t need to call me ‘Master!’ I’m just freeloading for the time being!” 

         “Yes, I’ll fetch the Princess for you. And I believe the term for what you are is ‘house guest,’ not ‘freeloader.’” 

         “What are you even talking about?!” Before she answers, the door shuts. Good grief… 

         “Xeno! Are you alright?” I didn’t even notice Tenshi enter the room. 

         “I’m, uh… having trouble getting up… I might be sick.” 

         “Hold still, please!” 

         “What, why?” Before I get an answer, she presses her forehead against my own. Suddenly, I get nervous. After about five seconds, she pulls back. 

         “You have a fever! Just lay down and I’ll treat you!” 

         “Oh, alright…. Is there a spell to treat illnesses?”

         “No, your immune system has to clear out all of the germs. Magic can only relieve the symptoms.” Of course something EXTREMELY USEFUL has limited capabilities. “Please stay in bed, I’ll return in a moment!” Tenshi stands up and darts out the door. I shut my eyes and listen to the quick footsteps running around the house. 

         When she returns, I open my eyes to see Tenshi with a bowl of water and a cloth rag. She places the bowl on the table beside the bed and soaks the cloth rag. Then, she wrings is out, folds it, and places it on my forehead. “Here, this should help with your fever. You must’ve gotten an infection while you were hurt!” 

         “Thank you… I’m sure that I’ll feel better soon,” I say weakly. I spent all my energy shouting at the maid. 

         “Oh! You haven't eaten yet, have you? I’ll go get you something!” She, again, darts out the door. I decide close my eyes and get some rest. I’m going to be in so much debt when I get out of here… 

         “Xeno… Wake up, please!” I strange, but pleasant scent fills my nostrils. There’s something warm nearby… Slowly, I force my eyes to open. A blurry figure is hovering over me, it resembles a young girl with long silver hair… 

         “Tenshi…?” Suddenly, something grips around my hand. It’s warm and soft to touch. 

         “That’s right… I’m here for you,” someone whispers. My barely conscious self can’t identify the voice, though it resembles Tenshi’s. Whatever is around my hand releases. Then, I yawn and I fully awaken. Whatever I just experienced was probably a dream… 

         “Oh, hi… What’d you get for me?” I sit up so that I’m able to eat while staying in bed. 

         “See for yourself!” Tenshi holds a tray in front of me. There’s a glass of water, and a bowl. The contents of the bowl is some sort of soup with various vegetables and what seems to be small bits of meat. Tenshi does love these vegetables… Well, they’re fresh and seem to be completely natural, so I can’t complain. Of course, there’s also a spoon and a napkin. I take the tray and place it on my lap. Tenshi stands beside my bed, seemingly waiting for me to try the soup. I take the spoon with my right hand and scoop the contents of the bowl. I then place it in my mouth… 

         “Oh, this is pretty good! Everything you make is delicious!” I exclaim. 

         “Thank you! I’ve been practicing for a while, now!” 

         “Huh… I almost don’t want to leave this place… You’ve been treating me so well that I feel like a king… Oh, you’re the Princess! Forget about what I just said! It was a joke!” I plead for forgiveness. 

         “It’s okay, I understand!” Then, she says, “I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…” At least, that’s what I think she said… It was so quiet and sudden that I don’t believe I heard it properly. I brush it off as nothing. I finish the water and the soup, then hand the tray back to Tenshi. I’m surprised that she just stood there and watched me eat her soup the entire time. She takes the tray and exits the room. 

         I don’t have any money, so I don’t have anything to pay back Tenshi with… When whatever I have clears up, I’ve got to make myself useful. She’ll probably say that I don’t have to, but I’d feel guilty if I continue to freeload… Maybe I can start by running into the city when needed. This food doesn’t just suddenly appear in the kitchen, after all. Yes, it’s simple enough that I couldn’t mess it up, so that’s what I’ll do.


	2. The Hopeless Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a month in this new world, Xeno decides to find a job. On his second day, he encounters a peculiar individual. Will she be his friend or foe?

Chapter 2, “The Hopeless Knight”

 

         It’s been a month. My lines only lasted about a day. However, in the thirty days that I have now been here, no one has come for me. It’s likely that no one is even looking for me. Electricity isn’t a thing in this country, it’s probably a thing that only my people discovered. In the meantime, Tenshi has taught me how to read and write in this country’s language. She has also bought me several pieces of clothing so that I don’t have to go around with dirty clothes. The clothes I have are very different than the clothes that were given to me, but it must be a cultural thing. These consisted of a plain black shirt, a sweatshirt, sweatpants, and underwear. Tenshi took the time to sew up the puncture in the pants, I could wear them if I wanted to.

        Also, The King is always busy and has to stay at the royal court. Still, he and Tenshi seem to be close. I have no complaints, but it is odd that Tenshi and I continue living together. At one point I forgot that Tenshi and I are almost complete strangers. She makes my meals, washes my clothes…

         About once a week, I go into town to browse the markets. Sometimes I get weird looks from everyone. They also tend to try to observe me from a distance. It’s probably because they think I’m some foreigner and that I could be dangerous. I’m afraid that there are some nasty rumors going around about Tenshi and I. There’s a lot that could be interpreted from the Princess allowing some guy about her own age stay at her home.

         The town itself consists of a couple hundred buildings. Some have two stories and are relatively small except some such as the town hall, shops, and guilds. It’s surrounded by thick, tall walls on all sides except for a lake on the northern side. Recently,  I’ve been thinking about getting a job because I need the money for when Tenshi decides to send me off. There are no signs that will happen any time soon, but it’s better just to be safe. 

         Today, I’m browsing the markets and seeing if there’s any job openings available. I’ll be willing to take anything. On my stroll, I notice an odd couple on the street. There’s a girl and a guy. The girl, strangely, has reddish-brown hair and brown eyes, while the guy has dark brown hair and brown eyes. The couple seem to be having an argument.

         “This is your fault, idiot!” The girl seems extremely agitated.

         “But I didn’t even know! How is that my fault? It’s your fault for telling to to do it!”

         “That’s exactly why you’re an idiot, you idiot!” This guy is in big trouble, he better run for it. Suddenly, the girl kicks him somewhere near the solar plexus, causing him to fall over. “Stupid, stupid stupid, stupid!” She then darts off in another direction.

         “Are you okay? She kicked you pretty hard there…”

         The guy stares at me for a moment. “This is… normal. I’ll be fine.” He gets up and tries to follow the girl. Couples are scary…

         As I continue walking, I notice a sign that says “Adventuring Guild.” It sounds interesting, so I decided to investigate. The building is decorated with shields and swords out front. It’s quite large, being about as large as a house, or maybe even larger. Just now, I decided to walk inside to ask for information. I see a woman at the counter by the entrance.

         “Hello, welcome to the Adventuring Guild! I haven’t seen you here before. Can I help you?” the woman asks.

         “Uh, sure. I’d like some information about what you do here.”

         “Of course! Please follow me, sir.”

         I follow her into a room in the back. Inside is a dark room dimly lit by a small window, and there’s a desk in the center. Behind it is an older, but tough looking man. He’s probably in his late 50’s or so. He rises from his chair, then proceeds to walk over towards me.

         “Stand still for a second, boy.”

         The tone in his voice sends a chill down my spine. I obey, though it’s more because I’m too scared to protest. He walks all around me and stares at various parts of my body. He’s surveying me.

         “Hmm… Looks like you’ll do, kiddo!” the old man shouts with a big smile and a thumbs up. “Come with me and take one a’ those beginner level bounties.” He pushes me outside of the room towards a board on the wall. “Don’t take that expert level stuff, kiddo. You ain’t nowhere near ready for that yet.” I don’t need to question why.

         I take one of the notes off of the section labeled “Newbie Board.” It’s from a farmer just outside of the city with a pest problem. Some of his crops were eaten by a pest, and he can’t catch it. The reward is about 100 gold coins, the currency used in this country. My first idea is to make something like a mousetrap, but I don’t really like the idea of killing a small and harmless animal. Alternatively, I thought of caging it and releasing it into a forest. I head to the market to buy some gloves and the cage, then I head off.

         “Here,” the farmer says to me, “he likes these ones the most so he’ll be easy to catch.” He hands me some fresh carrots for me to put into the cage as bait. I open and set the cage, then take a nice nap on the grass outside the house while I wait. The sunlight warms me, I could stay here for eternity.

         I wake up to a sudden thrashing noise. The noise stuns me and I have no clue about what’s on for about 10 seconds. As I awaken, I notice that there’s a small animal in the cage. It resembles a guinea pig that has soft white fur with patches of brown. My first thought is, I think Tenshi would like him. I don’t know why that was, because I was originally planning on relocating it. Anyway, I knock on the farmer’s door and inform him that the pest is taken care of. He gives me the 100 gold coins in a pouch and thanks me. I also take the cage and head home. Huh, home… Could I really consider Tenshi’s house to be my home?

         “Tenshi, I’m back!” I shout. Tenshi comes running down the stairs excitedly.

         “Welcome back, Xeno!” Tenshi places herself in front of me, folds her hands behind her back, and leans slightly forwards. A pose she does often while speaking with me. “Did you find a job? And what’s that in the cage?” Tenshi is eager as always.

         “I ran a quest for the Adventuring Guild. I caught this little guy eating hay and carrots from one of the farms out of town. I was going to relocate him.”

         “Aw, but he’s so cute. I’ll let you keep him if you want! We’ll just have to clean him up somewhere to stay! I can do it for you tomorrow while you’re in town. I’ll get some food for him, too!” Her childish nature puts a smile on my face.

         “Oh, I didn’t even think of that! He can keep you company while I work.” Tenshi’s expression changes from joy to concern.

         “Xeno,” she says seriously, “questing is dangerous. I don’t want you getting hurt. I won’t forbid you from doing it, but don’t push yourself too hard, okay?” I don’t like the tense mood that was just set, so I regrettably say, “Tenshi, you sound like a housewife.” Tenshi giggles softly and stares at me strangely. “Come eat your dinner, I already made it for you!” She really is like a housewife

         The next morning I decide to return to the guild. For some reason, the man from yesterday is outside waiting for me. “Hey there, kiddo! How went that quest?”

         “Oh, it went well, I guess. It was a little boring”

         “Yeah, you look like you’re more of the adventurous type. Here, take this.” He gives me an iron sword and a wooden shield. “Then go inside and get yourself one a’ those ‘novice’ bounties.” I do as he says and scan the bounty board under the section labeled “novice.” One that takes my interest says that there are some goblins in a cave that could be a threat to one of the farms if not taken care of. Since it’s under the Novice board, it shouldn’t be too difficult to handle.

         I follow the directions to the cave. It’s dark so I light a torch and bring it with me. As I go deeper into the cave I step on something soft. I look at my feet and see a green and short little creature that has a wound across its torso. There’s also a torch which has been extinguished recently. I hear something move in front of me. As I look up…

         “Halt! Who goes there?” It’s a woman. She has plates of silver armor on her body and a longsword pointed at me.  She looks to be about eighteen. Her hair is blonde and long. She has emerald green eyes. I notice an excitement in her voice.

         “I-I’m just an adventurer from the guild! I’m not a threat to you! I have a bounty to clear out this cave, I didn’t know you were here!”

         She sighs in, what seems to be, disappointment. “You’re friendly? That’s no fun.”  

         “Sounds like you’re looking for a challenge,” I reply.

         “Yes, that’s why I came here!” The excitement in her voice returns.

         “Huh? This is a novice level bounty. You won’t get much out of this…”

         “Novice? This is an expert level bounty!” Hold on, this is a what level bounty?!

         “Huh?! What do you mean?! Did someone put that there as a prank?! Was I just pranked by some highly experienced adventurer?! Was it that old man?! I’ll bet it was!”

         “You’re already here, so how about you come with me?!”

          “No, I don’t think that’s a good-” The woman snatches my torch and then takes me by my arm and drags me. “Please don’t bring me into to this! I’ve got someone waiting for me at home!”

         “So you’ve got a family, huh? You can tell them all about how Hakari the Knight was captured by the Goblin King to save a stranger!” Speaking of strangers… “You can call me ‘Xeno.’ That’s not actually my real name but I don’t know it is!” I noted that her name was “Hikari.” Also, I noticed another thing that Hikari has just blurted out.

         “Wait, she’s not family, she’s just a-!”

         “‘She’, huh?You’ve got yourself a girlfriend?! Well, I’m sure she wouldn’t want you getting hurt!” She lets me go for a second before turning around and grabbing my shoulders. She looks like she’s looking more for a fun time than a job to get paid. “I’ll take all the hits for you, I’ll be your shield! Please, let me!” I’ve never seen a girl so excited about being crushed by whatever the Goblin King is.

         “Uh… sure, I guess. But I never said that I’d come with y-.” Hikari grabs my arm again and continues to drag me. “She just told me yesterday not to do anything dangerous, and she’s not my girlfriend!”

         “We’re here!” Hikari says with excitement. “Where is ‘here,’ exactly?” I ask.

         “The Goblin King’s lair! Here he comes!” I can hear footsteps coming towards us. Then the green creature appears in the light. It’s significantly taller than the other ones and is about as tall as Hikari is. In his right hand is a club. Hikari then throws me into him. “I’m going to die!” I scream. “Tenshi is going to kill me if I get back home!” I swing my sword at the Goblin King, but it shatters into a million pieces.

         “I didn’t think I would die like this…” The oversized goblin prepares to bash my head in with his club. I close my eyes. Suddenly I feel a slight breeze to my side. I slowly open my eyes to see that Hikari is parrying the globin’s attack. I step back just in case. Once she pushes away the club, Hikari aims her sword for the goblin’s heart and charges. She then pulls out her sword and says, “It’s a shame, he didn’t put up much of a fight.”

         “Huh?! You’re disappointed?! I almost died! Tenshi will kill me if she hears about this!”

         “Hmm? Tenshi? You mean the King’s daughter? Are you that guy that everyone’s talking about?”

         “What? ‘That guy everyone’s talking about?’ I don’t follow.”

         “You haven’t heard? Everyone’s talking about the Princess’ boyfriend!”

         “I live in her house and I can say that she doesn’t have such a thing. I’d see him if she did.”

         “They are just rumors, after all. There’s no guarantee that anything is true…”

         “Screw this, I’m going home!”

         “Wait, before you go,” Hikari hands me a pouch of 500 gold coins. “Take this, it’s half of the bounty. After all, you did almost die. You’re very brave for a new adventurer. Most people would be traumatized by now.” I accept the coins. She seems almost like a completely different person when she’s not in combat.

         “Thank you,” I say. I give Hikari a spare torch and go for the exit of the cave. She stays behind, probably making sure that it’s clear and I decide to head home. The sun is setting. I didn’t realize that traveling by foot was so time-consuming. The breeze chills me down as I walk.

         When I arrive, Tenshi greets me again. She takes my hand and shouts “Come with me!”

         “Huh? Where are we going?”

         “You’ll see!” She makes me follow her into a room. I nervously close my eyes before I go on. When I open them, I see a walled-off bed of grass with a gate on the side. This is one of the garden rooms. It takes up about half of the room. On the inside of the wall, there’s a small wooden log and a carrot. “Come out, Fuwafuwa!” Tenshi shouts. A small animal crawls out of the log, it’s the same one I brought home.

         “You named him already?”

         “Mm-hm! Do you like it?”

         “Yeah, it’s cute. I think I’ll just call him ‘Fu’ for short.”   

         “I’ll go prepare dinner!” Tenshi exclaims, as usual. I pet Fu for some time. He purrs almost like a cat and is very playful. His playful squeaking remained me of Tenshi. It seems like Tenshi managed to “tame” him within the span of a day. Afterward, I go get ready for dinner.

         The next day I come to the guild and see a girl arguing with the woman at the counter. She looks about 2 years younger than me and has short, black hair. She also as some sort of bandage on her right arm and what looks like an eyepatch. I decide not to interfere and check out the bounty board again. Instead, I find the old man.

         “Hey, kiddo. I heard your last quest didn’t go so well. You’re just in luck, though. I hired someone to train ya well.”

         “That’s only because someone thought it was a grand idea to post an expert level bounty on the novice section!” The old man starts laughing nervously. “I wonder who did that, he coulda gotten ya killed!” He definitely did it, there’s no doubt about that. I sigh. “Anyway, come outside in the back. It’s that trainer.” When I do so, I find a familiar face. It’s…

         “Hikari?! You’re the trainer he hired?” She has a one-handed sword and a shield made of an unknown metal, unlike yesterday’s long sword.

         “So you already know her, huh? That sure makes things a lot easier.” The old man laughs nervously again. It’s obvious that he set me up to meet Hikari in the cave.

         “It looks like Tenshi didn’t kill you as you said she would,” Hikari snaps at me.

         “She gave did me a stern talking-to, but she was a little relieved when I told her that someone had placed an expert level bounty on the novice board.” I glance at the old man. “Oh, haha… I forgot that I had somethin’ to do just about now, gotta go!” Hikari and I stare at the old man as he runs off.  

         “Anyway, let’s see your stance.”

         “Huh? My ‘stance?’”

         “Yes, your stance.” She hands me a sword that’s identical to the one I had before. I take it as well as my shield and try to look like I’m ready for battle.

         “You look like an amateur. I guess that’s to be expected.”

         “Then exactly how do I hold this?”

         “First, you put your legs here and bend them like this. Make sure your feet are facing the right way.” I do as she says “Then…” She moves behind me and grabs my arms. “Position your arms like this…” I feel incredibly nervous with a woman this close to me. My face turns a little red. “...and make sure your sword is pointing forwards, and that your shield is in front of you.” She releases me, as I do with my sudden anxiety. “Now, show me your attacks!”

         “Do you want me to actually hit anything?” Hikari’s face turns red and she faces away from me. “Yes… I want you to…” she whispers.

         “What’s that? I can’t hear you.” Hikari spins around and latches on to my shoulders. Her face is way too close to mine. Her expression is pure excitement.

         “I want you to hit me! That sword won’t leave a single scratch on my armor, so you don’t need to hold back!”

         “Huh?! Have you gone mad just now?! I mean, I can understand if you want me to hit you, but what’s with the enthus-.” Hikari starts to violently shake me. “Hit me all you want! Try to kill me, even! I’m the one who almost got you killed yesterday! Please, hit me, Xeno!” Oh, I see. She’s one of those people. God help me.

         “O-o-kay, I-‘ll does, it, just, please, stop, shak-ing, me!” She releases me and I take about a minute to recover. I summon my strength and swing at her. Her armor emits a ringing noise, and there’s not a single scratch as she said. Hikari’s expression is… strange. I can’t tell if she’s about to laugh at me for how pathetic my swing was or…

         “Again! Do it again!” The emotion she is experiencing is pleasure, of all things...

         “Umm, sure…” I swing several times. Every couple swings she would let out some sort of moan. It made me feel uncomfortable.

         “I, um, don’t feel comfortable doing this.”

         “That’s fine, that was enough for now…” She takes a minute to cool off.

         “You swing that sword like an amateur.” Her personality changed just like that.

         “I am an amateur. Did you forget?”

         “I’ll teach you how to swing as knights do.” She demonstrates to me several different ways to properly swing my sword. This takes a couple hours. Of course, I haven’t perfected them just yet.

         “I’m exhausted. I think I’ll head home for the day.

         “I am busy tonight, so I was planning on wrapping up soon anyway. I’ll see you tomorrow, Xeno.” Huh? Tomorrow? I understand that we’d practice more than once, but every day? I don’t think I’ll last much longer in the Adventuring Guild. Maybe I should open up a shop or something. No, I’d need a supply of items for that. Maybe I’ll become a farmer. It’s hard work but it’s better than almost dying every day.

         When I get home, Tenshi happily greets me as usual. “Welcome back, Xeno! How was work today?”

         “Oh, work… I didn’t actually take a bounty today…” Tenshi looks curious.

         “You look tired. What did you do today?”

         “Oh, I just met up with some girl…” I realized that sentence was extremely misleading. I look up at Tenshi, her expression looks sad. Is she… jealous? “Oh, no! It’s not like that, I swear! She was training me, that’s all! I’m still an amateur, if I don’t get training I’ll get killed! Please don’t be upset!”

         “Well, if all you were doing was training, I suppose that’s alright,” Tenshi pouts. She’s definitely jealous. I guess living in the same house for a month forges a bond of some sort.

         “I’m going to go take a nice, warm bath.” Then Tenshi says something completely out of nowhere.

         “Can I go in with you?” Tenshi says as if it were a completely normal thing to ask.

         “T-T-Tenshi! Y-You c-can’t do that!” I scream. Tenshi giggles innocently. I have no clue how she maintains her innocence after asking such an indecent question.

         “It’s just a joke, Xeno!” She giggles. “I’ll make dinner while you’re in there!” I sigh and head to the bathroom. I’m sore in various places from all the swinging I’ve been doing today, so the hot water will feel nice. I remove my clothes and sit in the bath.

         After a while, Tenshi knocks on the door. “Xeno, dinner is ready. There’s a guest here, too.”

         “Alright,” I reply. I get out, dry myself, and put on some fresh clothes. I wonder who this guest could be. I go to the dining room to see for myself.

         “Huh?! Hikari?! What are you doing here?!”

         “Oh, Xeno, you know her already?”

         “...Yeah, that’s the girl who was training me…”

         “I was appointed to be Tenshi’s personal knight. I’ll be staying here from now on.” Huh?! She's not just staying for the night, but she’s going to be stationed here?! Whose grand order was this?! The King’s?! Fate is cruel to me, and to me alone.

        “Xeno, I’ve brought you a book. You should read it after your dinner. It’s called ‘Sword Arts.’ It describes many techniques that will be useful for you in battle. We can practice tomorrow in the yard.” The book shows an illustration of a man with a dark coat holding two swords and a woman in a lighter colored outfit with a rapier.

         “Thanks, I’ll study it. Anyway, how long are you going to stay here?”

         “At least until you’re able to protect Te-” She pauses. “*Ahem.* That’s none of your concern.” I see Tenshi smiling at Hikari. They’re plotting something. I have no clue about what’s going on. I decide to eat my meal and then check on Fu before I head to my room. “Thank you for the meal!”    


	3. My Darling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A stranger has been spotted stalking a peaceful village. Xeno and Hikari take it upon themselves to investigate. What could possible go wrong?

Chapter 3, “My Darling”

         

         A week has passed since Hikari was stationed here. I train with her almost everyday. Tenshi, being a healer, restores my stamina after each session so that I’m not exhausted, but I’m still awfully sore. Hikari has stated that I should make an attempt Experienced level quests, which is the next tier from novice. Of course, I blindly followed her suggestion.

         Currently, I’m on an investigation type bounty. Apparently, it might turn into an elimination quest if things go wrong. There’s a report of someone suspicious by a village that’s about a hundred kilometers south of Shizukesa, which is further than Tenshi’s mansion. According to the villagers, there’s been several break-ins and suspicious kidnappings. Some people have noticed strange cuts on various places of their bodies, though they’re not too severe. I decided to bring Hikari along just in case something goes wrong. I’ve brought my sword, shield, and a set of basic leather armor. I’m trained enough to fend off a sword fight, but I’m not so sure about magic.

         “Do you know what the stranger looks like? Hair color, eye color?” I question the villagers.

         “No, no one has seen their face. The people who went missing might have, but, of course, we can’t ask them,” one man replies.

        “I think he had a red cloak or robe,” another man says. We’re getting nowhere, so I change the question.

         “Are there any leads on where he came from, or maybe a hideout?”

         One villager comes up to me and says, “There is a building about a kilometer or two to the east of here. It’s supposed to be abandoned, but maybe he’s hiding there.”

         “We should head there immediately,” Hikari directs to me. “I’ll let you investigate. You’ll call for me if you find anything.”

          “Alright,” I say confidently.  We start walking. The leafless trees and cool air makes this area seem lifeless. I wish I could see what this land looks like during the spring and summer. The land and air is clean, so the environment must be become very lively.

         “Do you think this guy could be dangerous?” I ask Hikari to start a conversation.

         “I hope so! Think about all the cruel things he could do to a maiden, and a noble knight, such as myself!”  Hikari becomes excited. I shouldn’t have said anything.

          We arrive at the building. It’s only about a kilometer or two away from the village, so it’s possible that the stranger could be setting up here. There’s two stories. It’s decently sized, but nowhere near as large as Tenshi’s mansion. The wood is rotting which indicates that this building is old and should be abandoned. “Alright, I’m going in.” I light a torch and walk slowly so that I don’t burn down the house by accident.

         There’s nothing unusual about the first floor besides the unusual silence. The chairs and tables look untouched. There’s a carpet in the corner of the room that’s covered with dust. I decided to go to the second floor. I enter a dark room. The door slams behind me, causing the torch to extinguish. I can’t see, so I impulsively take out my sword and yell, “Who’s there?!” At first there’s only silence, but then I feel something warm touch my shoulder. Someone’s hand then covers my mouth.

         “Don’t go waving this around in the dark, you’ll hurt yourself,” whispers a voice behind me. This guy isn’t a guy at all, he’s a girl! She takes my sword from my hand. Then she pushes me to the ground causing my shield to snap. The pain is too unbearable for me to get up. I’m completely vulnerable and could be killed at any moment.

         “Hikari, there’s-!” She covers my mouth again. I try to move my hands, but find that they won’t move. I’m being restrained by what seems to be some sort of magic. I sense her face approach mine. She then proceeds to sniff me, like a dog.

         “Hmm, your smell is unique. You don’t smell like the people of this country… No, you don’t smell like the people of _this world_. What exactly are you?” I feel something sharp pierce the skin on the tip of my finger. I try to scream, but her hand is still in the way. She then lifts my hand into the air. I can’t see what she’s doing, but I feel something warm and moist touch my finger.

         “Your blood, it tastes spoiled. Royalty, perhaps? No, your blood tastes even more spoiled than that!” She laughs. What in the hell? How can she tell if my blood is “spoiled?!” Is this girl mental?!

         “I know who you are…” What?! Could this girl reveal my unknown past?! “You are,” she pauses for a brief second, “...my darling! Yes, there’s no one else it could be!” This girl is insane! Even I know that I would never would hook up with such a crazy girlfriend, despite my memory loss! I have to take action before she kills me. My hands and arms being restricted limits my options. I decide to bite her hand with all of the strength in my jaw. She pulls back her hand quickly, but she doesn’t seem to be in pain. “Hikari! I’m being attacked!” I finally scream. I notice a relief of energy around my arms and legs.

         “Darling? You didn’t need to do that. After all, I wouldn’t kill _you_ , but this Hikari that you mention… I might have to dispose of her.” I hear Hikari running up the stairs. She slams the door open.

         “You there, release Xeno at once or face the repercussions!” Hikari demands. The girl does as Hikari says. Hikari’s torch reveals that the girl is tall, but young, has long black hair, and blood red eyes that are cold as ice. She appears to be my own age. She’s wearing a long, red coat with a hood. Something about her makes it seem as if she’s not entirely human.

         “Hmm? Are you threatening me? I wasn’t going to hurt him,” she says with a calm voice. She’s acting like she’s above everyone else, like Hikari’s threat has no meaning.

         “Explain what you were doing with that boy at once!”

         “With him? I was making sure that he was my darling, and he is. You have no right to interfere.”

         “You are mistaken! You are the one who is interfering!” I’m too scared to talk.

         “Me? Interfering? He doesn’t have a girlfriend, does he? Besides me, that is.” Huh? This girl captures me and then claims to be my girlfriend? Hikari glares at me and then closes her eyes. “I… am unable to tell you.” What?! What does that mean?! Is this hopeless knight in love with me or something?! Speaking of her hopelessness…

         “So, he doesn’t have a girlfriend. Then there’s no problem, see? He’s _my_ darling,” the girl snaps at Hikari.

         “No, that’s not… If your intentions aren’t to kill him, then why don’t you hurt me instead?” There she goes…  

         “What’d you say?”

         “I said,” Hikari inhales the air and then breaks into excitement, “why don’t you hit me instead?! Do it, please!”

         “You’re awfully stupid for a royal knight. Do you _want_ to die?”

         “Please, try to kill me if you can! Overpower me and beat me all you’d like!” This is throwing me more into shock than getting captured. I somehow manage to find the strength to get up and run away.

         “Darling! Why are you running?” She sounds distressed, as if she really did consider me to be her “darling.” I look up the stairs to see the psycho girl trying to stab Hikari, who is standing in her way. Some sort of magical barrier on Hikari’s armor repels the knife, but the impact still goes through. Hikari is in a state of euphoria. That psychopath is screaming, “WHY WON’T YOU LET ME SEE MY DARLING?!” Under her eyes are streams of tear. Her calm, emotionless voice changed to something truly scary. It sounds like everything that she had was just taken away from her. In a way, I feel bad for her, but also she’s scaring the hell out of me! I decided to run for it. I hesitate, but I convince myself that Hikari can handle it.

         I run straight home rather than checking in with the village or the Adventuring Guild. It’s the middle of the afternoon, so I’d notice if something were in front of me. However, I am too frightened to look behind me or check behind the trees. I just kept running. Hoping to get away from that psychopath.

         When I arrive, I am exhausted. I pass out after I slam the door open. The last thing I hear is Tenshi shouting at me. “Xeno...? Xeno!” I start dreaming the moment I pass out. I know that it’s one of those weird dreams that don’t make any sense because I can hear some sort of buzzing around me, and everything is distorted. I wonder if I’ll even remember this one when I wake up.

 

                                                                                       . . .

 

         I’m in the lounge as usual. The time is 3:26 pm. I forgot to bring my tablet today so I’m watching the TV. There’s nothing good on, so I decide visit my father. He’s busy working on a time machine. The lab is open only to the researchers and I. Others are forbidden from entering for safety and security reasons. Somehow, I manage to find it without getting lost this time. I swipe my ID card across the scanner to open the door. “Hey, Dad. Any progress?” I ask as I walk in.

         “Hmm? Oh, I thought you said you were taking the day off. You were going to spend the day with some friends, right?”

         “Huh? No, I have work today. I must have mixed up my schedule when I told you. That’s funny, I don’t even remember telling you.”

         “It was in the middle of the night so I don’t blame you. I don’t think you were even fully awake.”

         “Yeah, that would explain it.”  

         Suddenly, the intercom buzzes. My father answers it. “Hello? This is John Webster from the research department speaking… Yes… I’ll send him down.” He turns it off and looks at me. “Looks like they want you in the lounge. Sounds serious.”

        “Yeah, fine. I probably spilled some coffee or something without realizing.” I exit the lab and return to the lounge. Waiting for me in the red-haired woman that’s in my father’s research group.

        “Christina? What’re _you_ doing here? You’re the most devoted scientist in the group, I’d never expect you to-.”

        “Webster, this is serious.” She gives me a cold stare.

         “Okay… Fine… What’s happening?”

         “There was an anomaly here detected 7 minutes ago. Did you see anything? I know you’re here a lot.” Huh, an anomaly?! I was just here… how long ago? I check the clock on the wall, it’s 3:33pm.

         “Huh?! That’s… impossible! I was here 7 minutes ago!”

         “I don’t doubt you, but did you see anything strange? Such a large amount of energy wouldn’t go unnoticed.”

         “N-no. Nothing happened. I was in here as usual.”

         “What you said contradicts… Hmm, maybe it’s caused by the anomaly. I’ll note that…”

         “It contradicts what?”

         “Huh? I said that out loud, didn’t I? ...Well, I asked several people who were around, and they said there was a loud noise. A buzzing, to be precise. There was also some flashes of light.”

         “No, nothing of the sort happened. At least, I don’t think so.”

         “But, Webster, the main concern is that this room…” Christina looks at me with a serious expression. “...was empty before 3:26pm.” What?!

         “No, I was here the whole time! What do you mean it was empty?!”

         “The security cameras caught the whole event. There really was no one here, and nor did you ever enter the building today.” Suddenly, my head starts killing me.

         “I… don’t feel too well all of a sudden. I think I’ll head home. I’ll… look into this tomorrow. If I don’t say anything to you then assume I didn’t find anything.”

         “Alright. I’ll go inform your father.”

         “Thank you,” I say while I start walking out the door to the lounge.

         By the time I get home, my face is pale and I have an awful migraine, which is strange because I don’t have any sort of condition that makes me prone to such. The moment I touch the knob to the front door, the pain in my head sharpens dramatically. I drop to the ground in pain. Suddenly, I hear a loud buzzing noise and everything becomes blurry. Were these the noises Christina mentioned? What’s happening to me? Am I going to die here? The last thing I see before I pass out is the something moving inside the house. Who the hell decided to break in? I’ve got nothing too valuable. 


	4. Dark Flame Destroyer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the encounter with the psychotic stalker, Xeno decides that it would be a smart idea to learn offensive magic. This, however, involves finding a trainer. Will his trainer be a total nut job, or will they be the expert mage that Xeno seeks?

Chapter 4, “Dark Flame Destroyer”

 

         I open my eyes to the light of sunrise. I’m on the floor of my bedroom. I don’t remember coming in here. My head is on something soft and warm. I look up to see a familiar face. “Good morning, Xeno,” Tenshi says softly. Wait, what’s my head on? I try to get up and see for myself, but Tenshi stops me. “You don’t have to get up yet if you don’t want to.” I come to the realization that I’m in Tenshi’s lap. I then remember last night. Questions start racing through my mind, but I find that the most reasonable thing to ask is…

         “Is Hikari okay?”

         “Yes, she’s sleeping in the other room. You don’t have to worry.”

         “Tenshi,” I say, “people are scary. That girl was psychotic… And the way she screamed when I ran away. I…”

         “Shhh. I told you, you don’t need to worry. I’ll protect you. No matter what.”

         “But, Tenshi… Why? Why protect me of all people? I mean, I know I live here now, but…” Tenshi giggles softly.

         “I can’t tell you yet, it’s a surprise!” I wish I knew what she was talking about.

         “Wait, that doesn’t sound right. It should go the other way around. You’re a girl, after all. _I’ll_ protect _you_ . I promise.” I then remember something that Hikari said. “ _...until you’re able to protect T-._ ” I think I see what she meant, but I refuse to accept my ridiculous thoughts as truth.

         “Last night… Well, a sword isn’t always reliable. I think I should learn magic.”

         “Remember what I said about not pushing yourself too hard, Xeno?”

         “I know, but I want you to be safe. There’s crazy people out there. I don’t want them hurting you.”

         “That’s okay, but I want the same for you.”

         “Thank you, Tenshi…” Tenshi’s warmth is soothing.  I feel sleepy and pass out again.

         When I reawaken, I’m on my bed. I’m not even sure if what just happened was reality, or if it was a just a really good dream. On the table beside me is a plate of food. Looks like Tenshi made me breakfast. I proceed to eat it, all that running left me starved. Then, the door opens.

         “Are you awake, Xeno?” It’s Hikari.

         “Yeah. By the way, do you know anyone that could teach me magic? Besides Tenshi, I mean. Healing magic isn’t useful during combat.”

         “Not unless you want to take a trip to the royal court. Someone in the Adventuring Guild might be able to.” Oh, right. Last week, Tenshi mentioned that she has business to attend at the royal court soon. I doubt they’d let me it, so I’ll stay here unless Tenshi says otherwise.

         “Alright, thanks. I’ll head there this afternoon.”

         “After yesterday, I do not think it’s wise to let you go alone. I shall accompany you in the case of… Well, you get the idea, don’t you?

         “Yeah, thanks.” I feel a shiver down my spine. That girl’s voice still haunts me.  “ _WHY WON’T YOU LET ME SEE MY DARLING?!”_ I can hear it as clear as day. I finish up my meal and get dressed. I notice that my leather armor is placed in the corner of the room, Tenshi must’ve removed from me last night. I find something strange about the idea of Tenshi stripping me, even if it’s just armor. After I finish off my outfit for the day, I head out to the city.

         I arrive at the Guild and approach the woman at the counter. “Do you know anyone here that could possibly teach me offensive or defensive magic? A mage of some sort, maybe?” Someone behind me speaks, it’s a very mysterious voice.

         “So you want to learn magic? I could teach you, but I am not responsible for what dangers you find yourself in!” It’s that girl with the bandage on her arm and the eyepatch from the other day. Her eye patch covers her left eye, and her right eye has a unique purple color. She’s wearing a dark purple closk with golden accents. Underneath is some sort of dress or shirt that extends to about halfway down her thighs. Strangely, her right sleeve is torn off, revealing bandaging that covers her forearm. She’s also wearing boots that completely conceal her ankles.

         “I appreciate the offer, but… Who are you exactly?”

         “I? I am Konton. No, that’s merely my mortal name… My true name is…. Dark Flame Destroyer! I am the greatest battle mage in this city! It’s foolish to not fear my power for I am the master of destruction magic! Muahahahaha!” Her cape and short black hair wave in a breeze that enters the room. Everyone is staring at her with mixed expressions in silence as she strikes a pose.

         “Ahaha… I… think I’ll pass. I’ll find another-.”

         “Please? Would you please learn my magic? I’m the greatest destruction mage in this city, you won’t find anyone better! ” Is she… begging?!

         “Only if you’re as powerful as you say you are,” I snap. I doubt that she really is. She seems delusional and younger than I am.

         “Then it’s a deal… I shall teach you my destruction magic! You shall obliterate all foes that stand in your way! To seal our pact… I need a sample of your life essence!”

         “Huh? What do you mean?” This girl is delusional!

         “I need a sample of your life essence,” she repeats. She reaches her hand out and pulls out a couple of my hairs. “Ow! Hey, that hurt!” She then proceeds to put them in her pocket and seals it.  

         “Our pact is sealed! You are now obligated to learn everything I know about destruction magic!”

         “Hikari! I think this girl is trying to assault me!” I pout. She wanders over.

         “What are your intentions, commoner?” Hikari says, in a demanding voice.

         “He said he wanted someone to teach him magic, so I’m gonna teach him magic, duh! And I am no commoner, I am the great Dark Flame Destroyer! Currently, I am hiding from the Society of Evil Mages!” The room is silent again, Konton is striking another pose.

          “So… Where exactly will this ‘training’ take place? Do you have some sort of dojo?”

          “I… um… Ahaha….” Konton’s face goes pale. I’ve got a bad feeling about this… If she’s running away from someone, there are two scenarios I can think of. Training at her home would be extremely risky, or she doesn’t have a home at all…

         “I don’t have a home so anywhere works,” Konton pouts, she fails to make eye contact. I knew it… I sigh. “Just come home with Hikari and I, we can start tomorrow.”

         “C-Can I?! Can I eat there, too?!” Her eyes are wide open in excitement.

         “That’s not for us to decide, though I don’t doubt that you’ll be able to.”  She brings her face a little too close to mine.

         “Huh?! Really?!” Konton shouts excitedly.

         “Hey! Don’t be so loud! And why do you want to eat with us so badly?” I ask.

         “As payment for training you, I demand food. Not for any particular reason…” Konton laughs nervously.

         “Fine, fine. Where do we start?”

         “Magic is hard to teach without background knowledge. There’s a certain index on magic spells that you should get from the library, but I don’t remember what it’s called. I’ll tell you if I see it.”

         “I’ve got a funny feeling about this,” I whisper to Hikari. Konton puts herself between us, somehow she heard me.

         “You are my apprentice! Saying such things about your master will result in severe punish-!” I reach out and pinch her cheek. “Ow, ow, ow! I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I’ll forgive you!” I release her.

         “Alright, now that that’s dealt with, let’s get going!”

         We searched the town’s library before heading home. Fortunately, we found the book and don’t have to look elsewhere. The book is called _“Destruction Magic: Spells and How to Use Them.”_ As expected from the great Dark Flame Destroyer, it’s all destruction magic. It’s a good thing that Tenshi already taught me some basic healing magic. On the way back, Konton forces me to carry her on my back as we walk.

         “Why do I have to do this?”

         “It’s part of your training of course! It’s a test of stamina, strength, and willpower!” Her stomach rumbles violently, “Not because I collapsed from starvation, aha..ha!”

         “I don’t see how this is benefiting me at all,” I say with a strain in my voice. Carrying a fourteen year old girl isn’t an easy task.

         “I advise,” Hikari snaps, “that you keep some distance from Xeno.”

         “Why’s that, are you his girlfriend or something?” There's a smug look on Konton’s face. This girl is going to be more trouble than Hikari.

         “N-no! Of course not!” Her face turns red. “It’s just that you may… complicate certain matters.” I try to imagine what would happen if that crazy girl from last night would do if she saw me carrying this girl. The thought sends a shiver down my spine.  When we arrive, I collapse on the ground, desperate for breath. “Ahh!” Konton shouts as she falls. “Don’t get reckless, there’s two of us here, remember?”

         “Well… I wonder… whose fault that is…” I’m completely exhausted. I turn myself over so that I’m now facing upwards from the ground. On the roof I notice something move. It’s red in color. It’s probably just a bird. Wait, here’d Hikari go? I’m too tired to care. I shut my eyes, but before I pass out someone comes running towards me.

         “Xeno, are you alright?” It’s Tenshi, she looks more concerned than she needs to be. She sits on the ground beside me and places her hand on my heart. For a moment, a golden glow emits from her hand. This is her healing magic.

         “Yeah, I’m-.” She places her ear on my chest. It was then that I noticed her magic stabilized my heart rate and also restored my stamina like it does after training sessions with Hikari. However, Tenshi being this close to me makes my heart rate jump back up. She can probably hear it…

         “Xeno, your heart beat…” I think I’d rather pass out from exhaustion than be forced to endure this odd occurrence. “... is normal.” Huh?! My heart is beating at the speed of light! There’s no way that she could tell me it’s stable! The other girls must think I’m some sort of pervert. While my mind is in other places, I notice that she has her eyes closed and is smiling. She resembles a cat rubbing its head against an object meaning to claim it as its own… What is she trying to do?!

        “So you’re flirting with your girlfriend in front of two other girls, now? Do I need to punish you with my magic?!” Konton snaps at me. Hikari, who seemingly disappeared a moment ago, is currently standing beside Konton.

         “Huh?! This isn’t-!” Tenshi helps me stand up and looks at me with her innocent smile. I turn and face Konton.

         “Hey, Konton… Remember the last time you said you were going to punish me?”

         “Huh? I’m not sure what you’re-!” I reach out and pinch Konton’s cheek. “Ow, ow, ow! I promise I won’t threaten to punish you ever again!” I release her again.

         Tenshi observes our interaction and giggles at us. “So, is it dinner for three tonight?”

         “Yeah, I guess so. Also, Konton…” She jerks upwards and stares at me. “If you find a little rodent in the garden room, please don’t perform your magic on him.”

         “Huh? Why not? Such a creature is a perfect subject for experimentation!”

         “He’s our pet. His name is ‘Fuwafuwa’ and I think Tenshi would be sad if something were to happen to him. Anyway, rest up for tomorrow. I want to begin training immediately. I’ll read that book, too.”

          After dinner I head to bed as usual. Strangely, everyone including the maid stays at the table to discuss something that I’m “not allowed to hear.” I assumed it was royal business at first, but why would they let the great Dark Flame Destroyer in on it? She’s clearly delusional and probably unreliable. Ultimately, I decide not to care. I’m not allowed to hear it, anyway.

         The following morning, I wake up in bed. I sit up to yawn and stretch my arms. I notice something to my right so I turn my head and…

         “Tenshi?! Why are you…?!” I close my eyes and take a breath. She’s staring at me with a smile. I wonder if she was waiting for me to wake up or if my shouting interrupted her sleep.

         “I let Konton have your room, so I brought you here instead.” I notice that this isn’t my own room, but Tenshi’s. The bed itself is a little larger than the one I was previously in. There’s also a red curtain around it. “I also moved all your things in here.” My heart is pounding. To escape this feeling, I make an excuse. “Tenshi… Could you go make breakfast? I’m awfully hungry…”

         “Okay!” She jumps up and happily goes to cook my meal. I know what this feeling is now. I now know that I’m in love with Tenshi. Reflecting on past events, I’m sure she feels the same way. Notably, she asked me what I was doing with Hikari that one time. If what I believe is true, everything would make sense. That’s why she doesn’t want me getting hurt, but isn’t this girl a princess?! Meaning that in the distant future, whoever’s married to her will become the King?! All my hopes are crushed by that thought. I’m not worthy to be king. I’m not even going to ask her about it, it’s futile. This puts me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

         After I finish breakfast, I wait for Konton to get ready for my training. She’s little, but she has a big appetite. The only explanation that I can muster is that from using such powerful magic, her body needs tons of nutrients to function. We meet out front of the mansion instead of the backyard where Hikari and I train.

         “Let’s start with the basics. Summon your magical power. Hold out your hands and focus on them.” I do so, and electricity and purple flames emit from my arms. I panicked for about a second before realizing that it doesn’t hurt.

         “Start by casting your energy at a target. Watch me.” She points her hand at a rock and shouts “Dark firebolt!” The rock seems to melt and immediately cool. I point at a different rock with my right arm and shout “Lightning bolt!” A bolt of lightning strikes the rock that I aimed at, causing it to fracture. I try the same with my left, but instead shout “Dark firebolt,” and purple flames burst on the rock.

         “Hmm… You aren’t bad for a novice! You’ve even summoned the Dark Flame instead of normal fire!”

         “Wait, does it matter if I say ‘dark firebolt’ instead of ‘firebolt?’”

         “Of course it does! What kind of mage summons the Dark Flame and doesn’t use the-!”

         “Firebolt!” There’s no difference between this and when I casted Dark Firebolt.

         “Hey, if you’re going to use a cool spell you might as well sound cool, too!”

         “It’s faster just to say ‘firebolt,’ isn’t it? Isn’t that more efficient?”

         “Well, you think you’re the master of destruction magic, don’t you? But you aren’t! These are simple, novice level spells!”

         “You seem awfully enthusiastic for a mage. How old are you, anyway?”

         “I am nineteen years of age!” 

         “Yeah, sure...”

         “I really am! My excessive practice of magic requires lots of nutrients, so it’s all being used for magic instead of growth!”

         “Yup, I definitely believe you...”

         “Anyway, watch me, the master of destruction magic!” She points to the sky and starts chanting. She siphons some sort of energy from the air into her own body. “Feel the wrath of the greatest of flames! May my enemies hear my name! I am the great Dark Flame Destroyer! I cast upon thee, combustion!” A great ball of purple fire ignites in the air. It’s high enough to not burn anything down, but the wave of force and heat is still intense.

         I look over at Konton only to find her face down on the ground. “Are you alright?!”

         “That spell was a trump card of mine. It uses all of my magical energy…” I help her up and then we rest for a moment.

         “Let me try something…” I point to somewhere in the distance with my right arm. “Thunderstorm!” After a moment, I see dark clouds hovering over the area where I casted the spell. There’s some flashes of light, and thunder moments later.

         “Huh?! You’re still standing!”

         “Yeah, that’s… obvious.” Konton is staring at me in awe.

         “But that’s a Master type spell! Something like that should drain all of your magic!”

         “Well, I do feel a little out of breath…” I sit down to rest.

         “For a novice to use a master type spell and still stand... Try casting Dark Firebolt again!” 

         “Firebolt!” Suddenly, I feel light headed. I notice that my spell had failed. “Whoa, I think I’m gonna pass out...” 

         “You can resist the effects of mana depletion? Outstanding! Try summoning your spirit next!”

         “Huh? My spirit?”

         “Yes! Your spirit is an incarnation of your inner power and that of your past lives! I’ll show you,” Konton then removes the bandages from her arm. There’s some sort of symbol that resembles a flame, it’s starts glowing purple. “Darkest of shadows, darkest of nights. The new moon of midnight, the absence of light! I summon thee, Dark Flame!” Her one eye starts glowing bright purple, as the flames that surround her do. I then notice that the flames aren’t surrounding her, but they _are_ her. She has become an eternal Dark Flame. Then she shouts, “I banish thee, extinguish thy flames!” and returns to normal.

         “How am I supposed to do that?”

         “Think about what your spirit is, and the words will come to you.” After a moment, I close my eyes and focus. I see a great longsword, it’s transparent and glowing with electricity. The words come to me.

         “My spine is my sword, and my sword is my spine. I summon thee, the Sword of Time!” There’s a loud buzzing. I see myself from outside my own body. My eyes are glowing bright blue. The sword that I saw is now my hands. My vision then returns to my own eyes. Something about the sword makes me feel uneasy, like it has some sort of uncontrollable power lurking within it. If I were to use it, I’d need even more training from Hikari. So far, we’ve only trained with one-handed swords. I decide to dispel it, “I banish thee, sheathe thy blade!” As it dissipates, a symbol burns into my right arm. “Aaargh!” I scream, falling over in pain.

         “Are you okay?! Spirits don’t usually hurt first-time users like this, yours must be strong, or out of control! Do you want me to get Tenshi?!”

         “No, it’s… already going away… But it burns!” I look at the symbol, it’s a sword. It represents same one I just held, no doubt. “I’ve had enough… magic for today!”

         “You don’t want that scar to be exposed,” Konton says while handing me some bandage to wrap it. “If you don’t, your spirit may take over your mind and become uncontrollable!” She then wraps her own arm.

         “Tenshi would kill me if I let that happen, so… I’ll get to it. Wait, are you serious?!”

         “Of course I am! Who do you think I am? A commoner?! I am the great Dark Flame Destroyer, master of destruction magic, I’ll have you know!” I sigh and proceed to wrap my arm. Arguing with her is pointless. I take a moment to recover and halt training for today.

         Fu is running around and squeaking. He stops and looks at me. I pet his back, and he purrs as usual. I give him a sliced carrot which he takes and immediately begins chomping on. His ears occasionally flop up and down, as if in excitement.

         “So cute…” Someone pops up behind me, catching me off guard and making me jump.

         “Oh! Tenshi, I didn’t notice you come in.” Tenshi smiles.

         “Xeno,” she says while petting Fu, “we have business in the royal court tomorrow. Hikari will come too. We should get prepared soon.”

         “Huh? We? As in, I’m part of it?”

         “That’s right! But you’re not in trouble, or anything! I think it’ll make you happy!”

         “I, uh… What are we going to do about Fu?” I decided to change the subject.

         “I’ve asked the maid and Konton to take responsibility for him until we come back. We should only be there for a day. After that, Father is going to come here for a short while.”

         “Isn’t there not enough beds for everyone?“

         “Father has his own personal chambers here. It’s that door that’s locked down the hall.” So that’s what that locked door was. “Also, I have an outfit for you to wear. Please bring it tomorrow.”

         “Alright. I’m going to get some rest.” I head to my room, and throw myself into Tenshi’s bed. I hear the door open, but it’s probably just Tenshi. I hear her footsteps approach the bed, but for some reason it sounds like she’s trying to be stealthy. She’s probably trying to startle me… Suddenly, something covers my mouth and nose. I can’t breathe. I try to scream, but whatever’s on my face muffles it. Something is restricting me from squirming. I’ve felt this before…

         “Don’t worry, Darling, this is for your own good. You’ll see…” Dammit, that psychopath followed me?! The more I struggle, the less conscious I become. Finally, I pass out.

          I hear her voice as I regain my consciousness. “You can call me ‘Ketsueki…’ No, you can call me ‘ _Darling.’_ You’re mine, after all.” I’m no longer in Tenshi’s bedroom. I’m being pinned down in a moonlit room. It looks to be a storage room. She covers my mouth and then lowers her head towards my neck. Something sharp enters my skin. Her hand prevents me from screaming. I’m too weak to resist.

         Ketsueki removes her teeth from my neck and lifts herself back up. She’s wearing her red coat. That’s probably what I saw on the roof. She laughs. “You’re mine now. You’re blood is rich in flavor. I think I’ll help myself to a little more.” What is she, a vampire?! A cannibal?! Or maybe she’s just plain crazy!

         A loud noise comes from behind Ketsueki. The door is now open. “Begone, vampire! Lesser dark firebolt!” I see a flash of purple flames. It must be Konton. Ketsueki dodges it and laughs. “Don’t you understand? He’s mine now.” Her voice is void of emotion.

         “What’s that supposed to mean, you vile creature?!”

         “Even if you try to steal him from me again, he’ll come back to me soon. You’ll see.”

         “That’s impossible! Tomorrow, Xeno is-.”

         “I told you. He’ll come back to me, no matter what happens tomorrow. I was planning on doing more with my darling, but you’ve interrupted us, so I’ll be going now.”

         “Ketsueki…” I manage to say.

         “What is it, Darling?” She sounds excited when she talks directly to me, like she’s talking to a lover.

         “Stay… away… from Tenshi…Please!”

         “We’ll see about that… I’ll see you later, Darling! Hopefully we can be alone next time!” Ketsueki laughs and then vanishes into thin air.

         “Tenshi! Tenshi!” Konton shouts. I hear her running down the stairs.

         “Xeno!” Tenshi cries. “Are you alright?!”

         “Yeah, I’m… fine…. Don’t worry…”

          “I’ll bring you to bed, don’t try to move!” I hear a mixed shouts as I fade away again. Why is this happening to me?

          The following morning, I make my way downstairs to the table for breakfast. As I approach everyone, I look down to the ground hear a strange buzzing. It makes my head hurt. I look up at the table to see everyone, and Ketsueki. With unnatural speed, I grab a knife and hold it to Ketsueki’s throat. She smiles and laughs at me.

         “If you hurt Tenshi, I’ll kill you! Do you hear me, I’ll-!” The buzzing stops. I blink my eyes to see that no one is there. Everyone stops eating.

         “Xeno, are you feeling well?” Hikari questions.

         “Yeah, I’m fine…”

         “Besides whatever you just saw, you look rather pale. Did you get enough rest? I wouldn’t blame you after last night.” The rest of the table, even the maid, looks puzzled. Did I just hallucinate?

         “I said I’m fine!” I throw my knife on the floor with unnecessary force. I pause for a second. “I… I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.”

         “Xeno…” Tenshi looks at me with concern, “Will you be able to make it to the royal court with me today? It’s important, but I can postpone it for you.”

         “Yeah, yeah. I’ll be fine. I’m gonna go get ready.”


	5. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xeno learns something that will change his life forever. He also meets with Ketsueki, the psychotic vampire, once more. What will be of these two?

Chapter 5, “Revelations”

 

         We sat for hours in the horse-drawn carriage. I, in my outfit bought by Tenshi, and Tenshi in a white dress. It looks oddly fancy, but we’re going to the royal court, after all. Hikari, however, is just wearing her usual armor. The royal court is where the King and his nobles meet for business, including international/national affairs. It’s guarded by elite knights all day and night as the King himself resides there. He never gets the chance to visit Tenshi because maintaining a country is requires a lot of time and effort. There’s also a barracks for his knights, a treasury, and some high class mage scholars. 

         Winter is approaching, as indicated by the dead grass and trees void of leaves. Today, it just seems that the temperature is a little high because the sun was scorching me the entire time. No one else seemed to be affected, but it’s probably because I don’t get outside a lot. There’s not a whole lot to do on the ride, not even something like a mobile video game, so I decide to start a conversation. 

         “How are the politics here?” Tenshi fixes her face towards mine.

         “Everything is peaceful. My father is one of the greatest kings in history. No one has any opposition to his kingship. This is especially because of the low taxes. The only trouble we get is from monsters, or rogue mages.”

         “Speaking of monsters, I plan on going back to the Adventuring Guild soon. What sort of other creatures should I expect? I’ve only seen goblins and some wild animals.” Nothing too interesting had been going on for the past week. Suddenly, Hikari looks excited. I shouldn’t have said anything.

         “There’s lots of things! There’s giants, demons, mimics, spirits, golems, dragons, slimes, oversized insects, Minotaurs… There’s a lot of unique monsters, too! Oh, and vampires! Just thinking about vampires… Occasionally, there’s a rogue mage as Tenshi mentioned.” Her face goes red and she laughs at her own thoughts. I pretend to laugh and go along with the conversation.

         “My equipment is really basic. Do you think you could have something ordered for me? Anything better than what I have is fine.” Hikari ceases fantasizing about being subjected to torture and great pain. 

         “Yes, I can contact the blacksmith and his apprentice to have it enchanted.”

         “Enchanted?” 

         “Correct. My armor, for example, repels any serious attack with a magical barrier. Would you like something similar?As royalty, you can access the highest quality materials as well as enchantments.”

         “Yeah, sure- Wait? What do you mean by royalty? I’m no one special.” Suddenly, Hikari jumps and looks embarrassed like she just said something she shouldn’t have.

         “I think,” Tenshi speaks, “that she means you’re associated with me. I’m one of the most important people in this country.” I notice that she, too, looks a little embarrassed. Does this involve what they were talking about the other day after dinner?

         “Oh, that makes sense. I guess living with you with puts in a good word for me.” The two girls look relieved.

         “Y-yes, that position will also get you well known in the Guild. I, being a knight, have many followers. That means you’ll be… popular with the women, too.” I notice that Tenshi’s face tenses up.

         “It would be best if you try not to be swayed by them! Having an… affair… with women you don’t know can be dangerous!” Tenshi sounds serious. Why is she acting like this? Does she not trust me?

         “I’m not the type of guy to accept something like…  _ that…  _ so you don’t need to worry. I’d rather dedicate myself to one person…” That was embarrassing to say. 

         “Oh? Have you found someone to dedicate yourself to?” Tenshi interrogates me.

         “Honestly, I’m not so sure. I guess I have three girls (not including that crazy girl that sucked my blood and planned to do ‘other things’ with or to me) following me around so if I screw up I have backups.” Tenshi doesn’t look entertained. “Of course, I’m just joking! I wouldn’t amass a harem or something awful like that!”

         “Xeno, you jerk!” Tenshi shouts jokingly.

         When we arrive at the royal court, I notice how large and clean the entire place is. There’s individual buildings for the barracks, the blacksmith, living quarters, and the treasury. Together, all of those buildings make up the palace, guarded by a massive wall of stone bricks. The court itself is tall and wide. In the back is the is the King’s throne, beside it are several tables. Along the sides are doors to the other sections of the palace. The first person I see is the king himself. He’s a tall, order man with blue eyes, long brown hair, and a beard. He looks exactly what a king should look like. 

         “Hello, Tenshi! It’s terrible how little time I get to spend with my own daughter! And who’s this? Ah, you must be that stranger that arrived here just over month ago.” Tenshi probably told him all about my through her letters. 

         “Yes, I have no memory of my identity so feel free to call me ‘Xeno’ as Tenshi and our friends do.” We sit at a table with several others surrounding us. 

         “You have something of interest with you, correct? Oh, don’t worry. I won’t take it from you.”

         “I’m not sure… Oh!” I remember the metal box that Tenshi told me about when I first arrived. “Yes, it’s some sort of container, but I can’t open it. I don’t have it with me right now, though..” 

         “The technology that it’s made of matches that of the ancient civilization of legend, is that right?” 

         “Ancient civilization?” I question.

         “Yes, according to legends there was a race of precursors who made great machines. Somehow, overtime their technology and their kind was lost.”

         “What would be considered a great machine?”

         “Some say that there’s a giant machine, larger than this entire palace. According to the legends, it has a mind of its own and it acts as a sort of guardian of this world.” 

         “Oh, I don’t think my people ever made anything remotely similar to that.” 

         A man at the other side of the table speaks, he’s probably one of the mage scholars,“That was at the height of their power. Before that, they were far less advanced, but they still had things such as some sort of magical metal boxes that could move themselves for transportation. None of these things have been proven to exist.” That sounds like an awful lot like cars. If he truly was talking about my people, there’s one thing I’m not sure about. I can’t remember anything such as a giant robot. It’s all just legend, anyway. Only bits of it could be true. Hikari is nowhere to be seen, I’m assuming she went to the barracks or the blacksmith. 

         Suddenly, Tenshi, who keeps staring at me and looking away, decides to speak. “Father, may us three speak in private?” I have no clue how I’m involved in this.  “Of course, let us meet in the back room.” We follow the King to a room in the back that’s secluded from everyone else in the building. It looks to be some sort of war council, but it’s empty due to the lack of conflict. Tenshi looks at me and her face turns slightly red. She then looks back to the her father.

         “Father, I have made my decision!”

         “Your decision? You mean…”

         “Yes, I chose whom I want to marry! He’s here beside me!” That surprise caught me so off guard that I went into shock. My eyes are wide open, as is my mouth. I try to speak, but I can’t. 

         “I have no opposition to your choice, but this will bring no political benefits. Are you aware of that?” Why would the princess of this country want to marry some guy she found passed out on the ground? Wouldn’t that make a bad impression? What if I was some outlaw that was shot with an arrow by a hero of justice? I could’ve stolen that box for all I know!

         “Yes, I wish to marry Xeno! He’s kind and protective! That’s why I love him!” Oh, she doesn’t care about some sort of political benefit, she’s in love with me. Things are starting to make sense. I feel something wet slide down my cheeks. I’m still staring in awe. “I think he would be a great king, even as good as you are! We already have arrangements for training him in combat, so he will be able to protect me as he promised!” I remember when I said that.   _ I’ll protect you. I promise.  _ “That and… when he’s in pain, he doesn’t want to admit it, so I want to be there for him! He doesn’t remember anything before I found him and he acts like it doesn’t bother him, but it does!” She’s right… I don’t want to admit it, but I’ve been trying hard to remember my past. Recently, I gave up on it because no one ended up coming for me. Tenshi continues, “He’s also been through some bad things, and he has nobody to help him! Not even family! So I want to  _ be  _ his family and care for him!” The King laughs in a friendly manner. 

         “I can see how much you adore Xeno. I would be a tyrant to not grant your wishes. I’ll leave you two be.” He walks out of the room and winks at me. Damn crazy old man, don’t you know what happens when a guy and a girl…  Wait, no, please come back! I don’t know what to say! Save me!

         “Xeno,” she says with a smile, “I love you!” 

         “Tenshi, I had no idea…” 

         “Xeno, you dummy. I made it really obvious for the past week.” 

         “So that’s why you-.” Tenshi moves forwards, embraces me, and puts her lips against mine. We stay like this for a good five seconds until she pulls her head back. “Say it back, or I’ll kick you out of the house!” Tenshi threatens me jokingly.

         “Tenshi, I…” I look at her neck and feel something strange. A hunger, or maybe a thirst, but for what?  “...I love you, too.” She puts something on my left ring finger. I move my arm and see for myself. Before I get to see what it is, I feel a sudden wave of dizziness. Despite my attempt to stay conscious, I pass out. I hear someone crying, “Xeno! I didn’t think I’d surprise you this badly!”

         I awaken on the carriage. It’s about midnight. I feel strange in an unexplainable way. The leafless trees of the forest in the moonlight make this area feel completely lifeless. What happened before I passed out, that wasn’t a dream, was it?

         “Xeno? You’ve been unconscious for almost twelve hours. Are you feeling-?” Tenshi shrieks. I jerk upwards. 

         “What?! What’s wrong?!”

         “Xeno… you’re a… Your teeth!”

         “Huh?” I put my finger in my mouth. I feel four fang-like teeth that weren’t there before. I’m a vampire?! The first thing that comes to mind is…

         “Ketsueki! She did this! She did this to me!”

         “Is Ketsueki someone you met at the Adventuring Guild?” 

         “No, she’s that damned girl that attacked me last night! I don’t know what her deal is, but she keeps messing with me! I’ll… I’ll kill her!” There’s a boiling rage building up inside me. I feel like I’m losing control over my emotions. 

         “Xeno?! You’re not acting like yourself. Calm down, please!”

         “Calm down? How can I be calm when that monster is out there?! Who knows what she’ll do next?”

         “Just take a breath, okay? I don’t want you to hurt anyone… Even if this girl is causing you trouble, you don’t have to deal with it by yourself.”

         “No, she’s after  _ me _ ! She even has the audacity to call me ‘Darling!’ I’m sure she has some ulterior motive! I’ll show her not to mess with me!” Out of rage, I hop out of the carriage and start running towards the derelict house that I found Ketsueki at. Somehow, I actually know where I’m going despite the darkness and the fact that we’re not at anywhere notable.

         “Xeno! At least wait until tomorrow!” Tenshi shouts.

         “I might not even get to live until tomorrow if that girl is still after me! Just wait at home for me!”

         “Xeno…” Tenshi stares at me with a concerned expression as the carriage moves along.

         “Tenshi, you should let him be. I have a feeling that he’ll be alright.” Hikari assures Tenshi. “He’s a vampire after all! If only we weren’t familiar with each other! I bet he’d torture me until I agree to obey his every word!” 

         I turn back around and start running. Eventually, I notice that I’m running with unnatural speed, and that I feel unusually light. I take a moment to look at myself. To my surprise, I don’t even have a body. Black mist takes up the space where my limbs should be. So that’s how Ketsueki escaped… I wonder what other abilities vampires possess. Hikari made them sound dangerous. 

         In only mere minutes, instead of hours, I find myself at the derelict house. My physical body returns to me as I slow down. When I enter, I find that I can see perfectly. It’s some sort of night vision. That’s how Ketsueki got the drop on me last time. 

         “Ketsueki! Come out! There’s no point in hiding!” I can smell her with my now sharpened senses. Suddenly, there’s some shuffling from another room.. 

         “Darling! Did you come to see me? I knew you would!” Surprisingly, she sounds happy to see me. I didn’t think she was capable of showing positive emotions. “Darling? What’s that ring on your finger? Are you going to give one to me?” 

         “What? You think I would marry you? Like hell, I would!” I can't control these outbursts of anger. I notice that Ketsueki is in shock from my words. There are tears swelling up in her eyes. 

         “But you can have me! We can be together!”

         “No, you’re just a freak! I don’t even know you! Stay the hell away from me!” 

         “It’s that Tenshi girl, right? The daughter of the King?” 

         “What about her?”

         “She… She stole you from me! She’s going to marry you?! So what?! I’ll just GET RID OF HER, and then I can have you all to myself! Ahaha… Ahahahahaha!” There's a strange look in her eyes, the eyes of a killer. 

         “Don’t…” 

         “What was that, Darling? You need to speak up.” She puts her and on my cheek, but I repel her.

         “Don’t you fucking touch her! The only reason you’re not dead right now is because she told me not to kill you! Touch her, and I’ll kill you! You hear me? I’ll fucking kill you!”

         She wraps her arms around my shoulders. “But that’s the only way we can be together. If I kill her, we can be happy!” 

         “Get off of me!” I shove her.  

         “Actually, I won’t kill her. Don’t you want to taste her blood?” 

         “What?! No, I…” For an unknown reason, I can’t find myself to deny it. Why would I thirst for blood? Oh, right, I’m a vampire.

         “You do, don’t you? We can capture her… I’ll let you have her to yourself, even. You can have every drop of her blood, but only if you stay with me.”

         “No. I won’t… I can’t do that. I can’t betray the one person that I love. The one person that loves  _ me. _ ”

         “THEN I’LL JUST HAVE TO KILL HER!” Ketsueki charges for the exit, but I kick her, causing her to fall down. I pin her to the ground with my foot. She doesn’t react, as if she’s used to being beaten like this. Instead, she just laughs. I normally would never do something such as this, but it looks like vampirism amplifies my emotions and sharpens my reflexes significantly. 

         “I told you. If you touch her, I’ll kill you.”

         “Okay, Darling. I’ll let her live, but only because you want me to. She told you not to kill me, didn’t she? I’ll respect that!” 

         “I’m leaving now! Don’t you dare follow me! Just stay the hell away from us!” 

         As I walk away, I hear her whispering to herself. “Master, I have failed. I failed, I failed, I failed!” Who the hell could her master be? Why would he tell that girl to hook up with me? I guess that doesn’t matter anymore, I’m done with her. I return to my mist form and head home. 

         When I arrive, the thing I see is Konton, who is awake in the middle of the night for some reason. “Ah, my apprentice! You’re early! You were supposed to be here by tomorrow, right?”

         “Something came up,” I say in a flat tone. My voice resembles Ketsueki’s. “The others should be here by morning. Why are you still up?”

         “Oh, I was feeding the test subje- I mean Fuwafuwa! He gets loud when he’s hungry! ” 

         “I told you not to mess with him, didn’t I?” I feel unnecessarily angry. “Just feed him, and keep him company. It was a simple task, even for someone like you!” 

         “Someone like me?! I am the great Dark Flame Destroyer! Do not underestimate my destruction magic!” 

         “How long are you going to have those delusions?!”

         “Delusions? Every word I speak is truth!”

         “Ha! Truth? I…” I finally come to my senses. “I’m sorry, I’m not acting like myself. You were just joking, weren’t you?” 

         “Huh?! Are you possessed by a ghost?!” 

         “I don’t feel like explaining it. I’m going to bed,” I say with a moody tone. I head to Tenshi’s, our, bedroom. What the hell is wrong with me? I can’t keep living like this, there must be some sort of cure or at least something to suppress my vampirism.  It’ll be morning by the time Tenshi gets back, so I decide to sleep. 

         I awaken in the morning. The curtain is closed, and Tenshi is beside me. I’m not used to it even though we’re engaged. She must’ve arrived just a few hours ago. I stare at her face, which I find to be cute as she’s sleeping. My eyes then drift from her face to her neck. A strange thirst overwhelms me. At first, I’m not sure what it is, but then I remember what Ketsueki said to me, “ _ Don’t you want to taste her blood? _ ” I can’t resist, and I give in to the temptation. I move my head slowly towards her neck. 

         “Xeno?” She startles me. 

         “Tenshi?” I pull my head back. 

        “You tried to bite me, didn’t you?” I didn’t expect her to know exactly what I was doing. I guess she’s more perceptive than she acts. She showed that earlier at the King’s palace.

         “I…” I can’t force myself to answer her. I’m in a pathetic state.

         “You can if you want to… I don’t mind being a vampire if I can be with you.” She’s being unusually obedient. I’ve never seen this side of her. 

         “No, I don’t really…” 

         “You’re a vampire, Xeno. It’s within reason if you want to.” 

         “Fine, but only because you said it’s okay.” Again, I move my mouth towards her neck and ready my fangs. I sit, motionless. 

         “I can’t.”

         “What? Why not?”

         “I can’t do it. Not to you, not to anyone. I don’t want to live as a vampire. I can’t even go outside without burning into ashes, right?” I notice that I’m acting more like myself while speaking with Tenshi. I wonder if it’s the same for Ketsueki, she seems relatively normal when I’m alone with her. 

         “There’s lots of ways we can overcome that. We don’t necessarily have to go outside during the day. ” 

         “No, you seem like the type to enjoy nature. That’s why you have the gardens, and why you want to keep Fu. Nature can’t be enjoyed if you can’t feel the sunlight on your skin.”

         “Xeno, I’m surprised you figured that out!”

         “Hey, I lived here with you for over a month and now we’re engaged. Of course I’m going to get to know you.”

         “But you’re the type that wants what’s best for everyone, right? You want everyone to be happy. That’s what I like about you.” 

         “That’s true, but I want to prioritize your happiness over anyone else’s. And I don’t like the idea of us being vampires.” 

         “You want to be cured?” Tenshi’s expression changes from a weak smile to concern.

         “Is it not possible?”

         “It is, but… if it’s too late, it can kill you. It might already be-.”

         “Do it, please… I can’t live as a vampire.”

         “But… you could die!” There’s some panic in her voice.

         “So? I never belonged in the world in the first place! So what if I die?” The words just kind of slipped from my tongue, there was no real thought put into those past couple sentences. 

         “Xeno!  _ I,  _ if no one else, will care if you die, so don’t do anything selfish, okay? Please! For me!”

         “Please, Tenshi. I want to do it because… Because I want what’s best for you… I love you, after all…” My face turns a light shade of red. Still, this amount of embarrassment is the price I have to pay for a better future. I can’t see us being vampires. 

         “Xeno, I… Alright. I’ll do it, but I don’t think I could live without you…” Tears form in her eyes. This reminds me of that old story involving two star-crossed lovers from rival families… What was it called? I can’t remember.         

         She hesitates, but then she forms some sort of magic rune in the air. It’s glowing pink and appears to be a star within a circle with symbols around it. “Bring life to this undead soul!” I see a bright flash and can’t see. I hear buzzing again, I’m going unconscious. Is this the end? I wonder, what did I mean by “ _ I never belonged in this world in the first place!” _ I didn’t say that intentionally. Did I remember something important? Maybe I’ll never find out. 

 

                                                                                     . . .

 

         I’m outside the lab. I use my ID card to get in. My dad is working on something. I approach him to see what he’s doing. 

         “Hey, kiddo. You’re warping in and out of time and space, did you know that?”  There's an unusual tone in his voice. If he didn’t say what he just did, I would have thought that he was being serious about it.

         “Huh? What kind of joke is that?”

         “There was an anomaly just outside the door just a moment ago, and suddenly you’re here. Don’t you find that odd?” 

         “What? There was no anomaly, I just walked here. I would’ve seen it. I have no idea about what you’re saying.” 

         “You said you didn’t have work today, so you stayed at home. I saw you there, y’know.” 

         “But I’ve been here all day. I left some time after you did.”

         “Remember the time you were in the lounge when an anomaly occurred?” What is he talking about? What anomaly? 

         “Hey, this joke isn’t very funny.”

          “Christina will tell you, too. She saw you during the last anomaly. I think you’re the cause of them, or at least you’re involved. I fear that it’s because there’s a fault with the time machine prototype, but we don’t have time to fix it.”

         “Even if that were true, what are you going to do about it?”

         “I’m creating an exact copy of the already existing prototype so I can use it just in case something happens during the presentation next week.” The fact that he has time to build another machine, but not enough to check and fix the first one kind of worries me. 

         “Wait, are you calling me an anomaly? I’m your son!” 

         “Well, the fact that you’d come in to work on a day off twice is unusual. Also, check your phone.” I notice that he just pocketed his own phone so I do as he says. 

         It’s blank, there’s no notifications. “Why? There’s nothing.”

         “Exactly. I just sent you a message.” There a ring, and he takes it back out. “Now you’re replying.” I see his screen. On the left side is the three dots that represent someone typing a message.

         “Impossible. I never got any message, and I’m not typing anything…”

         “You just said that you’re hanging out with your friends.”

         “...But I’m right here.”  

         “I know. It’s just as I hypothesized. You’re involved with the anomalies. You’re not supposed to be here right now. I also hypothesized that the current you is from a different timeline, so you might remember some things differently.” That explains a couple of things…

         “But this means that I used the time machine. We were only going to send that time capsule.”

         “That’s right. So you might’ve messed with it by accident in the future, or something happens during the presentation. That’s why I’m making a second machine.” 

         “I guess we’ll have to wait and see. That’s all we can do.” Suddenly, I get an awful migraine. “I think I’m gonna go to the lounge and wrap my head around this.” 

         It gets worse as I walk. Eventually, I close the door and lock myself in the lounge in case I get sick and someone walks in. I lay down on the couch and black out. There’s this awful buzzing in my dream, it almost sounds like I’m hearing it for real. In a moment, I black out.


	6. Call to Arms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xeno finally decided that enough is enough. With the help of Konton, Hikari, and the King himself, he strikes back against Ketsueki. What horrors could await him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is not meant for those who are easily disturbed.

Chapter 6, “Call to Arms”

 

         When I regain my consciousness, it’s the morning of the next day. I feel something tight around me. It feels almost like a snake wrapping itself around its prey. There’s a lot of weight on my torso making it hard to move. I move my hand and try to find out what’s on top of me without opening my eyes. I touch something silky and soft. I’m not exactly sure what I’m touching so decide to finally open my eyes. It’s Tenshi’s hair. Her head is on my chest, as if she were listening to my heartbeat. My shirt is damp with what I assume is Tenshi’s tears. I can’t move, so I decide to wake her despite how peaceful she looks.

         “Tenshi, it’s okay. I’m okay.” She blinks several times and looks up at me. Slowly, she moves to my side and drags herself up so that our heads are at an equal position. She still has her arms around me. “I’m glad you’re okay,” Tenshi whispers into my ear. “Your vitals were draining, I had to keep your heartbeat going all day and night.”

         “I’m okay now. I’m going to take responsibility for this. Remember how Hikari said that I’d be popular with the Guild?”

         “You aren’t going to have a big party with all the women, are you?”

         I laugh gently. “Of course not. I’m going to assemble a party. Not the fun kind of party, though. I’m going to find the girl who started this and stop her.”

         “Do you think you can do it?”

         “With the entire Guild, Hikari, Konton, and I… I think we’ll manage. Apparently my spirit ability is strong, so I want to test it out, too.”

         “The King is coming here soon for our wedding. You can bring some of the King’s other knights with you.”

         “Huh. I think it would’ve been more fitting if you proposed to me _after_ a big event like this, it would feel more like a reward.”

         “But Xeno, it isn’t a reward. I love you. I would’ve said so even if you weren’t an adventurer.” I was never an expert at these things, so I don’t know what to say.

         “I, uh… Did Hikari order that gear for me?”

         “Yes, she contacted the blacksmith before we went home last night. I think it’s downstairs.”

         “I’ll go check it out.”

         “Wait, Xeno. Just stay here a little longer, okay?”

         “Okay.”

         When Tenshi finally lets me leave, I find myself more tired than I was before I was knocked unconscious from the curing spell. I decided to head downstairs and check on everyone else.

         Of course, I prioritized Fu’s safety first. I walked in to see him sleeping, curled up in a little ball. I pet him, and he purrs gently. Next was Konton. I see her curled up in a ball, nearly identical to Fu, on what used to be my bed. Lastly is Hikari. I walk into her room and find her awake and full of energy.

         “Prince Shugosha!” She kneels in front of me.

         “What’s with the formality?”

         “You are engaged to Lord Shugosha’s daughter! You are now royalty!”

         “Technically, Tenshi and I aren’t even married yet…”

         “Do you plan on refusing her?”

         “Well, no, but you can still call me by first name. I don’t mind.”

         “Anyway, Xeno…Are you…?” Hikari freezes up.

         “Am I what?” Oh, another masochistic outburst?

         “Are you still a vampire?!” She jumps up and grabs me by my shoulders. This was completely expected. “D-do you want to subject me to torture?! Perform inhumane experiments?! Perhaps you’d like to have your way with-!?” Yup, it’s another masochistic outburst.

         “No! I’m not! Tenshi managed to cure me!”

         “Ahem!” Hikari regains her focus. “Well, would you like to see your new gear? It’s made for you.” The blacksmith that crafted my new equipment works for the King’s army, as well as his apprentice who has enchanted it, meaning that it should be top quality.

         “Yes, I’ll need it if I’m going to raid that derelict house.”

         “The King shall arrive tomorrow, he will have knights stationed here. You should bring them along.”

         “Yeah, that’ll give the Guild enough time to plan for the attack. That girl is dangerous, we have to take caution.” As I continue walking, see a pile of equipment on the dining table. There’s a set of silver-colored armor with golden accents and a matching shield. There’s also a one-handed sword that is golden in color by the hilt and grip, but the blade is a reflective silver color.  

         “You should try to not use your spirit as you have not yet received training with longswords.”

         “Yeah, yeah, I’ll use it only if things get bad. We should bring Tenshi along to cure any bite victims.”

         “That won’t be necessary. The King’s army has a healer, you can bring her with you.”

         “Alright, but Ketsueki may be after Tenshi.”

         “We’ll station guards here, as well.”

         “Oh, I almost forgot. What enchantments are on my gear?”

         “Your armor, like mine, is impenetrable while you wear the full set. The shield is capable of blocking magic, and the sword will never need to be sharpened. Of course, since you haven’t fully matured yet, the armor will adjust itself to fit you. Lastly, it’s enchanted to be lightened so that you don’t exhaust yourself just from performing basic actions.” That’s a lot just for one amateur of an adventurer. This stuff likely has more value than a human life.

         “I’ll try all of this out tomorrow. For now, let's head to the Guild!”

         “I’ll see notify Konton,” Hikari states, then heads to Konton’s room.

         We travel to the city and enter the Guild. Inside is the old man, seemingly waiting for me. “Hey there, kid. Haven’t seen ya in a… Wait a sec… You got yourself married in the time you weren’t here?”

         “It’s… been a long week.”

         “Anyway, congrats, kiddo. Who’s the lucky girl? Is it one of those two that you brought with ya?”

         “It’s… Tenshi Shugosha. She actually proposed to me…”

         “Ah, you mean the Princess? I can't say I can blame ya for havin’ your teenage fantasies!”

         “No, it’s really-!” He pats me on the back with some force, causing me to lose my balance for a second. “I’m sure you didn’t come here to talk about your fantasies and failure with women! What do ya need?” I sigh in frustration. It looks like he won’t be convinced unless I bring Tenshi herself with me next time I come here.

         “You know that quest that Hikari and I took a while ago? With the stalker at the village?”

         “Yeah. I heard you came runnin’ home screamin’! Now, I ain’t judgin’ ya or nothin’...” He turns away and snickers for a brief moment. Who the hell even told him about that? “Well, what about it?”

         “It turns out that the stalker is a vampire… She’s still out there.”

         “For you to run into a vampire on Novice quest… You made the right call to come back here, it could take the whole damn Guild to take that vixen down…”

         “If we wait until tomorrow, I can bring some of the King’s knights with us.”

         “Wait, you weren’t kiddin’ when you went and said that THE Tenshi Shugosha proposed to ya?”

         “Yeah, uh…” How exactly do I say that I’m engaged to the Princess as if it were a normal conversation? I’m determined to be the next King, that’s not a very light topic. This guy doesn’t even believe me…

         “His words are as true as mine!” Konton shouts from behind me.

         “Oh, I see…” The old man snickers again. I think he would’ve been a little more convinced if Konton kept her little mouth shut.

         “Ahem! We must discuss our plan to raid the house where the vampire resides!” Hikari states and approaches the old man.

         “Alright, I’ll call everyone here. Go out and spread the word, will ya?” Hikari, Konton, and I do as he suggests. After about an hour, approximately 150 people are gathered in the Guild.

         “Alright, everyone! We’re dealin’ with a goddamn vampire, so don’t let her get too close to ya or else you’re as good as dead, ya hear?” The crowd roars, “Burn the vampire!” The crowd consists of various “classes.” These include assassins, archers, swordsmen, and varieties of mages. “We even got word that some of the King’s own men are gonna be with us, so we don’t got a single damn thing to worry about!” The crowd roars again, “Long live the King!”  

         “So here’s how it’s gonna be! First, we send in some assassins and scout the place. If they don’t find nothin’ then we’ll send in some swordsmen backed up by mages! The rest of us will surround the place and make sure there ain’t anyone escapin’! The healers will stay in the back.” Despite her lack of numbers, Ketsueki is a vampire and is not to be underestimated. She can go invisible, drain people’s life force and mana, cast powerful spells, and she’s skillful with a knife. “Now that we got ourselves a plan, all of you can go and gear up for tomorrow! We’ll have a grand party after this one!”

         On our way back home, I see a carriage surrounded by men in heavy, silver armor. Most of them are head-to-toe in armor, while some others aren’t. They must be some of the King’s men. “Xeno! Are you alright? You were looking very sickly when you passed out the other day!” The King shouts at me from a short distance.

         “Oh, I’m fine now. We’re planning an attack on a vampire, can you spare some of your men? We already have a big team, so we shouldn’t need very many!”

         “A vampire, you say? Aye, I can do that! We’ll have to arrange your wedding, too! The whole country will come to see it!”

         “Send some of your soldiers to the Adventuring Guild in the city tomorrow, we’ll start then.”  

         “I’ll see to it, son-in-law!” The fact that the King just called me his son-in-law makes me cringe a little.

         The rest of the day is normal. I spent some hours training with Hikari and Konton. Training is followed by Tenshi’s home cooked dinner and a visit to Fu, who happily munches on various vegetables. At night, Tenshi continues to cling to be like a like a snake. Her warmth reassures me that everything is okay. Every second of it also reminds me of how innocent and precious she is. Overall, it’s a strange, but also unique, experience. Tenshi Shugosha is irreplaceable.

         The following morning is also normal. Hikari, Konton, and I bathe (in separate rooms), we dress (although I have armor on over my clothing for today), and have breakfast which is also home cooked by Tenshi. Today, however, the King and some of his top knights join us for the meal. When the three of us head out it the city, we, or at least Konton and I, are surprised to see the maid following us in a mage’s robes. Of course, there’s are about 20 knights with us.

         “Hold on, what are you, of all people, doing here?”

         “I have been told to come with you, so I am doing as I was told, Master.”

         “She is one of the King’s mages, she is a healer,” Hikari informs me. This must be who taught Tenshi her healing magic. I wonder if the fact that the maid is an elf determines her skill with magic.

         When we arrive at the city, the entire Guild is waiting outside the front gate. The time is approximately 11:00 am, so there is still plenty of time. The old man, who doesn’t appear to be geared up at all, points at me and shouts to the crowd of guildsmen. “Hey, boys and girl! See that kid over there in the silver armor? He’ll be your king in a few decades, so make sure his ass doesn’t get even a scratch on it!” The crowd of eager men and women begin shouting and cheering. The old man winks at me before heading into the city. The knights join the crowd, and then approach me.

         Nervously, I say, “Alright… Let’s… move out!” Why am I being put in charge of this? Shouldn’t the knights have more authority than me? Oh, right. I’m going to be the prince soon. I begin walking in the direction of the village that was being stalked by Ketsueki. The large crowd follows me in organized groups. Firstly was Konton, Hikari, and I. Directly behind us are the assassins, and behind them are the knights and swordsmen. In the back are the mages, healers, and archers.

         At approximately 3:00 pm, I can see smoke in the distance. The color indicates that whatever it is burning has been burning for a while. Coincidentally, the smoke seems to be coming from the village. I would say that maybe they’re having a bonfire or something, but there’s a lot of smoke… As I get closer to the source, I can’t believe my eyes. “No… No way, no way!” I start sprinting towards it. My army follows me.

         In the smoke, I see the silhouette of a house. As I approach it, I see that it’s divided into two sections by debris from the roof. I investigate another house, but all that remains besides the burned down walls is the foundation and several household items. I don’t want to put anyone in harm’s way, so I’m hesitant to keep going. If I continue on this raid, there will be no going back.  “Guys, hold position! I’m gonna look into this by myself for a moment! Hikari, Konton, come with me!”

         “Okay!” The two shout in response. There smoke becomes thicker as we move closer to the center.

         “Konton, think you can blow away some of this damn smoke?” It’s becoming difficult to breathe. Hikari, however, seems pleased.

         “Of course. I summon thee, wind!” She casts a spell which creates strong winds moving outwards from her position. The smoke disappears completely for a moment. It returns, but it’s nowhere near as dense as before. It might’ve been best to leave the smoke, because what I am now able to see is something from a nightmare.

         Anyone that’s not slashed and hacked pieces is completely empty of blood. Some are mutilated to the extent that it seems they were ravaged by a wild animal. It feels as if there’s some sort of dark energy flowing through the area. The sight is too much for my stomach, causing me to empty its contents via my mouth. “Who could’ve done this?” Konton questions. I think I have an idea…

          I notice a series of symbols written in blood in various places including the ground and what remains of the walls. These symbols make up a word, “Darling.” I was right, I know exactly who did this. Then, something strange catches my attention. What looks like the blood-drained corpse of a man starts twitching. Impulsively, I run over to him and kneel. “Sir, are you alright?!”

         “...” No words escape his mouth, but he starts to groan.

         “Apprentice! Step away from him!” Konton shouts at me.

         “I can’t! This guy needs help!” I am angered by Konton’s action.

         “No, Xeno! He’s already dead!”

         “What?!” Our conversation is interrupted when the man beside me jumps up at me, seemingly attempting to bite me. Fortunately, Konton pulled me away in time before I became his lunch. Hikari quickly impales her sword into his head. I feel like throwing up again.

         “When people die, if they aren’t blessed within several hours, they turn undead! They’ll try to eat anything in their sight until they rot away into bones!” Seriously?! Zombies?! I notice the intact corpses starting to move.

         “We need reinforcements!” I shout towards where we came from. Within moments, the knights and swordsmen come running in with their weapons ready. “Let’s get out of here!” I run, guarded by Hikari and Konton. My men are following us, fending off the undead as the run. Some of the walking corpses are too dried up to even bleed.

         After we make our way out, I make sure that everyone is safe. Fortunately, there are zero casualties. “Lock down this area, it’s too dangerous to be left alone. Contain them or eliminate them all, it doesn’t matter. Just make sure nothing gets out of here.”

         “Right away!” The mages gather together and start chanting, and a magical barrier forms around the remains of the village.

         “How long will that last?” I question.

         “It’s impenetrable, and will last until we uncast it. We’ll wait a couple months before taking down the barrier so that the undead will decay and cease to function.”

         “Alright, let’s hunt down that vampire!” I start walking towards the direction of the derelict house, but I pause for a moment. Do I really want to risk it? That girl murdered an entire village seemingly on her own, is she capable to doing the same to the adventurers? To hell with it! I’ve already put my feet into this, and now I might as well get neck deep! “This is one big fucking mess, so let’s clean it up…” I summon the resolve to continue. My army tails me.

         There’s small splatters of blood on the way to the Ketsueki’s house. It likely was left from the knife that she carries. On the house itself, in various spots, is the same message that was written throughout the village, “Darling.” This girl is sick in the head, not just a vampire. I wonder what could’ve possible drove her to the edge. Maybe it was just from being a vampire for so long.

         “Archers, get the high ground from the hill over there! Make sure you can cover the whole area!” Surprisingly, I seem to have a decent idea about what I’m doing. Maybe I am fit to be king, after all. “Swordsmen, split into two groups! The first group surrounds the house, the second group goes in on my word! Mages, stay with the swordsmen! Healers, stay in the back! Knights, stay by me!” They position themselves accordingly. “If all fails, evacuate and seal off the area. If it comes to that, we’ll have Konton deal with it…” Her combustion spell would incinerate the entire house and surely would at least hit Ketsueki, but we can’t have anyone inside if we resort to that. “Assassins, go scout it out! Make sure you’re not seen!” They proceed to cast invisibility on themselves and enter the building. If I didn’t see them do so, I never would’ve thought they were even here.

         After about 15 minutes, there’s screamin coming from inside the house. “Are you alright?!” I shout. There’s no response. No doubt, the assassins were attacked and maybe even killed. Filled with anger, I shout, “I’m going in! Stay in position unless I order evacuation!” I cast a spell that summons a ball of light to follow me and enter the building. Hikari, Konton, and some other men follow me. There’s blood splattered everywhere, but there are no bodies visible. The sight is extremely unsettling. I ready my sword and shield.

         “This floor is clear,” one of the knights informs me. “Let’s check upstairs.”

         There’s a strange silence, almost exactly like the first time I was here. My heart rate spikes up. As I head upstairs, the front door slams shut. “Prince!” The men are shouting. I return to the first floor to see the swordsmen and knights swinging at Ketsueki, who is dodging every strike.

         “Darling! I see you brought me some playthings! How generous of you!”

         “Ketsueki! You murdered an entire village! That’s unforgivable! Stop this!”

         “But I can’t! These worthless beings are trying to kill me!” She cuts one of the swordsman's necks and drinks the blood from it. “All of you are going to die here! Everyone but my darling!” She takes down the men one by one until all that’s left is Konton, Hikari, and I.

         “Th-they’re all dead! You killed them all! And you killed even more at the village! Women and children, too! You’re a murderer! No, you’re worse than that!” I scream at Ketsueki in fear.

         “What? Are you scared of me, too?”

         “Of course I fucking am! Just… stop!”

         “You’ve got nothing to worry about. I promise that I won’t kill you. You’re my darling, after all. I know you are.”

         “You’re just a monster, you know nothing about love!”

         “Of course I do! I’m doing this for you! All of it!” Ketsueki charges at Hikari, but I jump in front of her with my shield and block her attack. Hikari seems to be disappointed, but she was just in serious danger.

         “I’m willing to listen to you if you drop the knife! I swear!”

         “That's fine with me, Darling.” To my surprise, she obeys. Unfortunately for her, I wasn’t actually planning on talking. I charge forward with my sword, but it seems she was prepared for it. Within a fraction of a second, Ketsueki pulls Konton in front of her. It was so fast that I had no time to slow down. I hear the sound of my blade impaling someone’s flesh.

         “I agreed to not hurt your friends, but it seems like you did it yourself, ahahaha!” I drop my sword.

         “K-Konton! W-we can get you a healer! You’ll… you’ll be fine!”

         “App...ren...tice…” Blood spills from her mouth.

         “You think I didn’t know about everyone outside? Your healers?” Ketsueki laughs at me mockingly.

         “W-what are you going to…?” I’m traumatized. I can barely speak. Suddenly, Ketsueki lowers herself to Konton’s neck. Hikari attempts to stop her, but Ketsueki whacks her on her head with enough force to render her unconscious. When she returns to Konton, she briefly says, “I’m going to take away one of your precious girlfriends before I die.” Her fangs sink into Konton’s neck and she proceeds to suck her dry. I watch as Konton’s lifeforce drains from her small body.

         “You know, it’s inevitable that I’ll die here. You have an entire army waiting outside, afterall. Just know this, Darling. I don’t plan on giving up yet.”

         “W-what does that mean?!” I shout in anger.

         “Oh, you’ll find out eventually. I’ll be waiting for you!” She laughs maniacally. What does that mean? Is she referring to the afterlife? After a moment, she exists the house. I can hear the battle occurring outside. Arrows are being shot at her while swords are being swung. I can hear men being tossed onto the ground,and some being stabbed. Eventually, there’s the sound of fire. They’re burning her to death. For a moment, there is silence. Then, everyone outside begins cheering for their victory. I, however, kneel motionless by Konton, my blade still impaled in her torso. She whispers something to me before she fades away forever…

         “I… entrust you… with my power… Take care… of Tenshi…” She removes her eye patch and places her right hand on my right arm and transfers some sort of magic energy into me. She continues to weaken by the second. Her bandaging on her right arm falls off, revealing that there’s nothing. There’s a burning sensation on my arm. After that, she was gone. I am a killer.


	7. Vision of Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle has left Xeno, now known as Xeno Shugosha, completely traumatized. Could he ever return to his normal, peaceful life? What other possibly sinister things could be going on?

Chapter 7, “Vision of Fate”

 

         A year and some months has passed since the defeat of Ketsueki. There was a large celebration and a funeral for the brave ones who lost their lives. All of their corpses were blessed to ensure that they didn’t suffer the same fate as the villagers. Among them was Konton, who died because of me. Eventually, the barrier around the village was removed, and the dead were buried in a mass grave. The village itself is still in ruins. Ketsueki’s home was also burned down by the adventurers.  

         Approximately nine months ago, Tenshi and I were officially wedded. The King was present, as was a large portion of the country as well as some ambassadors and visitors from other countries. The event was held at the King’s palace. However, the happiness it brought me is minuscule as compared to the sadness I feel. The guilt of my crime haunts me. At least once a week, I see haunting images of that day in my sleep. Although we only knew each other for several days, Konton was a bright and cheerful girl, she didn’t deserve what was brought upon her. My only comfort is Tenshi, who I have to hold tightly every night.

          _There’s nothing but darkness, the air is cold. In the distance is a bright purple flame. It approaches me slowly. It doesn’t seem to get farther away even as I run. Eventually, it’s close enough so that I am able to feel its heat. The flames make up a humanoid figure. It speaks, “The blood is on your hands. Now you shall pay for your crime with your life.” The purple flames devour me and I burn to death._

I’m not sure what I’d be doing without Tenshi. Fu provides some comfort, but not as much as Tenshi does. Maybe I’d be better off if I never met her. Maybe I never would’ve become an adventurer. No, I doubt that. Ketsueki believed that we were fated to be, she would’ve found me eventually. I bet she was only stalking that village to look for me, or at least someone like me. If she was that close, there would be no way to prevent our encounter.

_I’m standing in the middle of an open field. There’s nothing but grass, and the blue sky. There’s maniacal laughter coming from every direction, the laugh of a cold blooded killer. As I turn around looking for the source, bodies start appearing. The more I turn, more bodies appear. Eventually, I give up. A voice whispers in my ear, “Why are you crying, Darling? I did this for you.”_

We’re married, so there’s no chance that Tenshi will kick me out. That being said, I have no reason to look for work. My gear sits in a storage closet collecting dust. There’s blood on it, but it’s not my own. Tenshi locked it up so that I’m not tempted to put it on again. Sometimes, I put my head against the door. I swear I can hear her voice, the voice of the master of destruction magic. I never really did get to see her full power, we only knew each other for several days.

          _I’m sitting on the King’s throne. Do I really deserve such a thing? A crowd of about twenty knights and swordsmen approach me. “You call yourself the King?” As I look up at them, I notice that they are bloodied and injured. Their faces are familiar, but I can’t specify why. “You’re just a tyrant! Get out of our country!” Oh, I remember. They’re the men I had gotten killed. Then, I am impaled in the torso by a sword and left to bleed out._

Most days are quiet. I like to sit outside and listen to the birds as they pass by. Sometimes, Tenshi and I go on walks through the city escorted by Hikari. There’s always a look of concern on Tenshi’s face. She knows that something’s wrong, but there’s nothing that she can do. The only way I could recover is if my memories were wiped again.

          _I’m at a wedding. My bride makes her way towards me. When she uncovers her veil, it’s not Tenshi, but instead it’s a murderous vampire. “No! This isn’t right! This isn’t right!” As I panic, the building around me starts burning down. I try to escape, but burning debris blocks the way. “Where are you going, darling? We’re together forever.”_

         I have this one memory that I can barely remember. It feels like it never happened, almost like a dream. I returned home from the raid, crying and covered in blood that’s not my own.

         “Xeno?”

         “It was awful. I don’t think it’s a wise decision to let him out of the house for a while. He might not ever recover from the trauma…” Someone speaks behind me.

         “Are you alright? We’re all here if you need someone to talk to!” A man speaks, his voice is familiar. My eyes don’t move from the ground.

         I can’t force myself to respond to him. Instead, I head for the bath. I remove my bloody gear and clothing and place myself in the hot water. I sit in the corner, trying to deny everything I had witnessed, and the crime I had committed. I refuse to believe that I had killed someone that I didn’t deserve it. I gaze at the new flame-shaped scar in my arm, I don’t deserve it. There’s an overwhelming pain in my chest, but it’s not love. It’s the feeling of guilt.

          _I return home from a walk in the city. Within Tenshi’s, which is now my own, house, there is nothing. No furniture, not even carpets. Everyone who resided in it is also gone. Hikari, the maid, Tenshi… They’re gone. I turn around to exit the house, but instead I see the derelict house where Ketsueki lived. On the ground is blood and a sword, the same one that belongs to me. Standing in front of me is a girl with silver hair and blue eyes, I recognize her.. “You did this, Xeno! You are a monster!” She turns away and runs, never stopping. The only thing that remains is a ring that she dropped on the ground._

Last night, however, was different. I didn’t haven’t a nightmare, or at least it wasn’t as bad as the others. At first, I didn’t even think anything of it. Alien things happen within our dreams, after all.

         I was standing in a great desert, it spans out for miles. I was wearing my armor which appeared to be clean. There was nothing but sand visible in the horizon. The sky was blue, and there wasn’t a single cloud in sight. Suddenly, there was a rumbling noise coming from beneath me. A large crater opens up in front of me, the sand falls into it. A great machine rises from the crater, when it stops, it stands in between 150 and 200 meters tall. Part of it is still in the ground. The great tower then unfurls a pair of wings, the machine resembles some sort of owl-like creature with an elongated body. Its eyes glow blue, and it lets out a screech.  

         “What are you?” I asked him.

         “I? I am the Primordial. I exist to keep this world intact.” His voice echoed loudly.  

         “Were you constructed? Were you placed here by God?” Questions linger in my mind.  

         “I was constructed by the people of Civilization I, the first civilization. Currently, you exist in Civilization IV. This world is not your birthplace, but I still welcome you to it.”

         “What do you mean?”

         “You have been chosen by me for reasons that I cannot tell you. I cannot tell you your purpose yet. You must realize it for yourself before I can tell you.”

         “Why have I been summoned here if not to be informed of my purpose?”

         “You were on the right path, but now you have been led astray. Not by any certain individual, but by your own will. If you do not find the right path once more, this world will cease to exist and I will have to reset it.”

         “Reset the world?”

         “Correct. I was given that ability. When a civilization falls, it’s my responsibility to return their material to the earth and shape the land to support the next civilization.”

         “With power like that, you could destroy the world, or even force everyone to worship you. What stops you?”

         “To destroy is not my purpose. I was created to build. You, however, must find your own purpose. You are in this world for a reason. I shall tell you everything one day, but you must continue on the right path before that day!” The image faded away as I woke up.

         Now that I am reflecting on it, I could’ve sworn that I’ve seen or heard  about whatever I saw… Ah, now I remember. Last year, a scholar at the King’s palace told me about something similar, a great machine larger than the palace itself. Even if my dream was completely fictional, the “Primordial” mentioned something quite peculiar. He mention that I have lost the path to finding my purpose. It’s true that I wasted away a full year, and that I’d be a total wreck without Tenshi, but there’s nothing more that I could possibly do that would have a significant impact on this world. Of course, I could wait to become King in a few decades, but the one year that passed felt like a century. During that time, I didn’t get any closer to Tenshi than I already was. Anyone that saw us in private would think of us as no more than roommates. That being said, I have an idea. I’ll take Tenshi on a date. It may be awkward because we have already been married, but I’ll see what I can do.

         “Tenshi… Do you want to visit the city today?”

         “Xeno… Are you in a good mood today?” Ever since that awful day, I’ve been quiet. Some days, I speak not even a word. I also find that our house is a sort of safe haven, so whenever we go out it’s Tenshi’s idea. It must’ve been a shock to Tenshi to hear me make plans for the day.

         “Yeah, I guess so. So, you up for it?” I see what appears to be tears in her eyes forming before she puts on a bright, excited smile. I can tell that she’s truly happy to see this side of me again. It’s not like I’m necessarily faking it, but I wonder how long I can keep this up for.

         “Of course!” She embraces me with her arms, she has no intention of ever letting go. “Is there anything specific you want to do?” She whispers in my ear.

         “Oh, I thought we should get something to eat. I feel a little guilty making you cook every day… Maybe something a little…”

         “A little what?” It looks like Tenshi is forcing me to finish my sentence.

         “Romantic… Ahaha! I know it sounds embarrassing!”

         “Embarrassing? That sounds like a great idea! And for your information, I enjoy cooking for you!”

         “Anyway, let’s get ready.”

         “Right away!”

         We are now in the city. Hikari is escorting is, as usual. Of course, it’s a rare occasion for the Princess and her Prince to show up, so everyone tends to stare at us as we walk by. They all know that our business is private, so no one stops us for a conversation. I find the Spring air to be refreshing as we walk. Eventually, I see a building that I never wanted to see ever again.

         “Hey, kiddo. You haven’t been here in a while. How’ve ya been?” It’s the old man, now one year older. I open my mouth, but I feel a sudden wave of anxiety. No words escape from my mouth. Some of the adventures that worked here died because of me over a year ago.

         “We’re doing fine, thank you,” Tenshi replies for me. “Do you know a good place for food around here?”  

         “Well, if you two are gonna be all lovey-dovey around each other… There’s a restaurant down that way, it’s got demi-human waiters. Ya can’t miss it!” Demi-humans are hard to find. Elves are quite common, but other races are a minority. Demi-humans include things such as centaurs, but most of them are more humanoid and have animalistic features such as tails.

         “Thank you!” Tenshi shouts as we walk away. I look back and see the old man wink at me. He’s a troublemaker, so I don’t entirely trust his suggestion. As we approach the location that we were given, there’s only one restaurant with demi-human waiters, or waitresses, to be exact.

         “He sent us to a maid themed restaurant? He knows that we’re-.”

         “No, it’s okay, Xeno! I heard this place was popular.”

         “That’s probably because this place would appeal to guys…” Why does my wife want to go into what looks to be a maid cafe?

         “Are you sure? We don’t have have to-.” I’m interrupted by someone shouting with excitement from inside.

         “The Princess and her Prince are here, nya!” They then open the door, “Welcome, Meowsters!” The woman has a human body, but has a tail and cat-like ears. She’s a feline-type demihuman. “Hello! I’m Nekko, I’ll be your waitress for today! Dinner fur two, I assume?”

         “Yes!” Tenshi seems a little overexcited. She’s not the type to fake it, so I’m not sure about what she’s thinking.

         “I shall wait outside,” Hikari informs us. Tenshi walks in and I follow. Clearly, the restaurant is as popular as Tenshi says. We get looks from a lot of people who are already seated. After we find our own table, Tenshi orders us both orders our drinks and today’s special which is some sort of homemade soup. The food is better than I expected, but our, or at least my, drink has a strange but strong flavor.

         “Does your drink taste funny?” I ask Tenshi.

         “Hmm… Nope!” She smiles and giggles. Our drinks seem to be the same, I don’t understand. After we finish our meal, Nekko comes back around. “You’re royalty, so you don’t need to pay! It’s on us, nya!”

         “Oh, no! It’s okay! You deserve to be paid for your work!” Tenshi places an amount of gold coins on the table.

         “Thank you for your kindness, Mistress! I’ll take it only if you promise to have some fun with your Prince!”

         “Of course!” It feels like they know something that I don’t.

         As I get up, I suddenly feel dizzy. “Tenshi, I’m feeling kinda sick…” I can barely walk straight.

         “Hmm…” We stop for a moment, Tenshi touches me with her hand. “You seem fine! Don’t worry about it!” I stumble out the door.

         “Xeno, are you-?” Hikari starts to ask a question, but gets interrupted when Tenshi whispers something to her. Hikari puts on a smug face. What the hell is going on? Tenshi comes over to support me.

         “Xeno! You need to be less clumsy!”

         “Well, s’not my fault for feeling sick!” My mind goes blurry.

         “No, you’re fine. You ARE just being clumsy,” Hikari jokes at me.

         “Huh? The only one that gets to tease me is Tenshi! You’re not being nice!” The two girls laugh at me.

         “He reminds me of how he was a year ago,” Hikari converses with Tenshi as if I weren’t here.

         “Yes, I wish he’d be like this more. He seemed happy to spend time with me.”

         “Hey, are you two done with your girly chatter?” The two laugh again. We pass by the Guild again.

         “Hey, kids! Havin’ fun over there, huh? Looks like the Prince certainly is!”

         “Yes, do you mind if we stop by?” I guess Hikari is up for a quest.

         “It’s fine by me, but don’t mind the crowd. All three of ya are famous.” Hikari walks in, Tenshi and I follow her. She approaches the quest board.

         “Elimination quest, giant wasps… Xeno! I’d bet you couldn’t kill a single giant wasp!” Hikari shouts at me.

         “Huh? What’s that? You challenging me, is that it?!”

         “If I win, I take all the reward money. If you win, I’ll let you have it!”

         “Challenge accepted!” I see the old man wink at me and walk into the back room. The rest of the day is a blur.

         I awaken the next day with a splitting headache, I want to throw up. I also notice that I’m in a strange position, I fix myself before I wake Tenshi up.

         “Tenshi… Do a favor for me please…” She yawns.

         “Last night was fun… We should do it again soon.”

         “What did we…?” My brain for a moment. “Oh, yeah. Do you want to try a different restaurant next time?” She giggles for a moment. “What’s so funny?”

         “Oh, it’s nothing! You’re just acting like your old self, is all!”

         “Anyway… I have this killer headache, can you treat it for me?” I would do it myself, but I am in no condition to cast the spell.

         “Of course.” After she treats me, she goes to get breakfast ready as I take a morning bath.

         During breakfast, Hikari asks, “Are you sure you will be able to fight the giant wasps, Xeno?”

         “What? When did I say that I would?” Hikari, Tenshi, and even the maid all snicker together. It still feels like someone is missing.

         “Anyway, you promised that you would challenge me in a quest. If you defeat more giant wasps than me then you will take the reward.”

         “I quit being an adventurer… I don’t even need the money.”

         “You looked quite confident when you accepted my challenge.”

         “You aren’t going to let me off from this, are you? Fine, I’ll go just this once, but I feel like I was just played like a fiddle.” Everyone, but me laughs. “What’s going on between all of you?”

         “Nothing, nothing!” Tenshi assures me, but I don’t find that credible.

         After breakfast, I head to the closet where my old gear is stored. The key, which Tenshi gave me, is now in my hand. There’s a strange feeling in my gut. Do I really want to open this door? To hell with this! I open the door. Something is odd about the room. There’s a lot less dust than I expected. Clearly someone has maintained it, or was at least in here recently. My gear is a completely different story. Where there should be blood stains, there is nothing. It looks like it’s been polished, too. At least I don’t have to clean it up myself. With almost no hesitation, I put on the armor and pick up my sword and shield. I see Tenshi as I exit.

         “Did you clean up my gear?” I ask.

         “What? No, that room has been locked the entire time.”

         “Well, whatever. I’ve seen lots of thing by now. If something or someone cleaned my gear, then that’s that… Hikari, let’s go!”

         “Right!” Hikari shouts.

         I follow Hikari to the quest’s location. Apparently we’re heading to a hive, but we don’t need to destroy the whole thing. However, there will be an extra reward if we manage to do so. The giant wasps are about a meter long and could kill a man with a single sting. Fortunately, our armor has enchantments to repel physical attacks. The only challenge is managing to attack them, which is difficult considering their ability to fly.

         Eventually, there’s a loud buzzing in the distance.  

         “Xeno! There’s the hive!” There’s a large clump of great mass. There’s seemingly hundreds of wasps entering and exiting the hive. From this distance, they seem normal sized. I also spot something else, what looks to be a girl.  

         “Hikari! I think I see a person. Come on, we have to help her!” We start running towards the hive. The buzzing gets louder as we get closer, almost to the point where we can’t hear each other. The girl has a bow and is shooting down the wasps with one shot each. Her reddish-Brown hair is tied back in a ponytail, and she’s wearing a set of leather armor. It’s basic, but it provides mobility. She also has brown eyes. I feel like I’ve seen her at some point…

         “Hey, we have a quest here! We’ll take care of this!” I shout to her.  

         “Huh?! The Prince?! Well, I’d like to see what you can do with just a sword!”

         “Xeno! She’s challenging us!”

         “But we’re already in a competition!”

         “We have a new challenge! Kill more wasps than she does!”  

          “Fine! Let’s do it!”

         For several minutes, the wasps would try to sting Hikari, but she would “sting” them back with her sword. This continued until they began to swarm her. Of course, nothing actually broke through her magic barrier, but she was now incapacitated due to her state of pleasure. The other girl continued to fire arrows with amazing accuracy. Still, there’s too many of them for us to actually wipe them all out. I have an idea.

         “Both of you, get back! I’m going to try something!”

         “You better not plan on diving into the nest on your own!”

         “Do you take me for an idiot?!” I shout. The girl snickers at me and starts running the opposite direction. She grabs Hikari on her way and shoots down the wasps following them.  

          “We’re clear! Do your thing!”

          I remember the words the were spoken over a year ago. It’s painful to remember. “Feel the wrath of the greatest of flames, may all of my enemies hear my name! I am the Dark Flame Destroyer! I summon upon thee, combustion!” An explosion of purple flames bursts out from the center of the wasps’ nest. The whole thing is in flames, as are the wasps flying in and out. The queen is probably in a million little pieces, or a pile of ash. Then, I almost pass out. As I close my eyes, I hear a voice.

         “Not bad, apprentice! You must practice more!” I recognize this voice. I open my eyes and search for her, but there’s no one. I stand up, but I feel exhausted. Seemingly out of nowhere, I see an arrow flying towards my direction. “Ah!” I shout while cowering behind my shield. I look behind me to see that the arrow pierced the head of the giant queen wasp, who wasn’t dead until now.

         “Pay attention to your surroundings, you spineless invertebrate!”

         “Spineless invertebrate? That’s like calling yourself an insane mad scientist. You’re just adding extra words.”

         “Shut up! Shut up!”

         “Huh… a tsundere?” Tsundere, a character that initially acts cold or even hostile towards another character but acts all lovey-dovey with the same character when alone or after spending time together.

         “Huh?! What’d you say?”

         “Nothing! Nothing at all!” She looks angry at me, I didn’t even do anything. This doesn’t apply to Hikari, for some reason.

         “I want to kick you.” Wow, she’s so direct.

         “Why don’t you?” I ask her.

         “Even I have to respect the Prince! That’s common sense.”

         “Tenshi would probably forgive if you did kick me…”

         “That’s right, you’re married! What are you, a womanizer?!”  

         “X-Xeno! I really wish I could be in your position!” Hikari looks excited.

         “To hell with this… Come on, Hikari, we’re leaving. And you, you can keep the reward. We don’t need it.”

         “I have a name, you know!”

         “Well, it sounds like you don’t care for me, so why even bother? We’re leaving.”

         “Huh?! I’m the best archer on the city! I was at that big raid of yours. How dare you shrug me off like some sort of bug!”

         “Well, do you have something to say?”

         “I… No!”

         “Then we’re leaving. Goodbye!” I turn around and walk away. The archer follows me and continues to pester me. It’s typical that she doesn’t actually hate me, so I might find a little fun in teasing her. Eventually, we reach the city where she split up.

         “By the way, I expect you to meet me at the Guild tomorrow first thing in the morning!”

         “Are you in any position to tell me that? I quit adventuring for a reason, you know…”

         “Not necessarily…” The girl looks at the ground beneath me with a concerned face. Suddenly, she looks up and fixes her eyes on my own. “I found something strange… It may involve you. But don’t misunderstand, I’m not worried about _you_ , or anything!” Yup, she’s totally a tsundere. She’s probably just upset that I’m already married, and to the Princess of all people. I can totally use that to my advantage.

         “What? Are you planning on giving me a reward for my part of the quest? I told you, we don’t need a reward.”

         “W-what?! So you ARE just a lowly womanizer! Like I’d feel obligated to give money to royalty for a simple task! Hmph!” She turns around and walks away. Sheesh, what a pain. Hikari and I proceed to walk home.

         It looks like I might have to get back into adventuring. I wonder if this has anything to do with that dream I had, the one about finding the right path. Well, it was just a dream. I can just sit inside and sit around all day, it’s not as if I really need to do anything. Then again, Tenshi looked a little relieved when we left today…

        It’s now nighttime. As I lay in bed, I remember something that happened just over a year ago. It was the morning after that awful night, the night I would never forget. I could never forgive myself for what I had done. To me, I was at fault for provoking Ketsueki. Tenshi, however, didn’t seem to care. Of course, she was upset that people had been killed, but she could never blame me for it. To her, it was only an accident. That morning, I had woken up to my head placed in Tenshi lap. She was holding my hand tight, and she was singing a song.

“...When you feel alone, just know that I am with you.

Anywhere you go, that will never not be true.

When you cannot see me, just know that I’m still there.

At any time of day, I can hear you, I swear.

So please, please, promise to stay with me forever.”

         I’ll never forget her voice, the voice of an angel. I’ll never forget the warmth, the tightness around my hand, and the tears that fell on my face. It was a precious moment, an experience that I would never give up.

         I wonder what, of all things, could involve me. An assassination attempt? No, there’s no reason for that. Maybe it does have something to do with my past like Hikari suggested. The only contradiction to that is that I had a different name back then, and I don’t think I’ve met anyone from before. The entire situation is odd. Whatever it is, it must be important. I guess I’ll find out tomorrow.


	8. Recurrence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xeno’s great journey finally begins.

Chapter 8, “Recurrence”

 

         Last night was unusual. I was oddly comfortable, as if everything was fine. I didn’t find it necessarily to cling to Tenshi for comfort, but she still embraced me. I had no strange dreams or nightmares, either. It was a peaceful, well deserved night. Everything seemed like it was finally over, that it was time to move on. Still, I have to meet up with that girl at the Guild.

         The following morning, I decided to head out early. If whatever she found involves me, it may be something big. The fact that a vampire was chasing me down to unite with me proves that. I hope that everything stays under control instead of spiraling out of control, like last time.

         “Hikari, got any idea about what that girl could’ve found?” I spark a conversation on our way to the Guild.

         “It could be connected to your past. You still have no memory of it, correct?”

         “Yeah, but it sounds like I was a nobody. I’m not sure if I want to remember at this point.”

         “You did have a strange artifact with you.”

         “I probably stole it from somewhere… I’d gladly pay for it now that I’m royalty.”

         “Anyway, that woman we met is named ‘Shinrai.’ Truly, she is the best archer in the city. You should respect her.”

         “She’s rude to me, but I know exactly how her mind works so don’t mind me if I want to use that to my advantage…”

         “Xeno! Are you, by any chance, a sadist?!” Hikari glows with excitement.

         “No, not really. It’s more of an equal treatment thing.” Hikari looks disappointed, she never changes.

         “Hmph!” Hikari then refuses to talk any further. We continue to walk in silence. The sunlight feels great, and the temperature is perfect. The sky is a lively blue, as always. The sound of the birds passing by is soothing. Eventually, we reach the city.

         I see the old man outside of the Guild. “Finally comin’ back, huh?”

        “No, I was told to come here. It’s important, I guess. Is Shinrai here?”

        “The archer? Yeah, she’s in there somewhere. Her face was as red as a damn tomato. She’s got quite a temper, so I wouldn’t-.”

        “Yeah, yeah. I have some business with her, so I’ll be heading in. I honestly would rather jump into a pit of wolves, but I guess it’s important.”

        “Is that right? Might as well be plannin’  your funeral.” We have a laugh before I step into the building. I feel like the old man knows more than I think he does. It’s probably nothing, so I decide to ignore that feeling.

         As I walk in, a see Shinrai staring at the ground. When she notices me, there’s an expression of intent of her face.

         “What? Were you worried about me?” I ask.

         “W-what? No!” Shinrai shouts at me. Her expression changes to anger. Totally a tsundere. “Just come with me!” She grabs my hand forcefully and leads me out of the building. Her face gets more red the longer she holds my hand. Totally a tsundere.

         “Where are you taking me?!” People are looking at us, probably thinking that she’s some sort of ex-girlfriend.

         “Just wait a little longer! It’s not like I’m wasting my time for you of all people! I wouldn’t have brought you out here if it wasn’t serious!” This unnecessary anger towards me… Totally a tsundere. I pretend not to notice Hikari observing us.

         Finally, she stops in front of a house. There doesn’t seem to be anything abnormal. “There’s someone that you should meet. They live in that house.”

         “How long are you going to hold my hand?” I should probably stop messing with her. She then tightens her grip to the point where she might break a bone or two and then throws my own hand at me.

         “You call yourself a married man?! You’re just a lowly womanizer! I’ll let you deal with this on your own! Hmph!” There’s no denying it, she’s totally a tsundere. I walk up to the door and knock. There’s some shuffling from inside, but eventually someone comes.

         “Prince Shugosha? Is there an emergency?” The young woman asks, probably confused why the best archer and town, the Prince, and his personal knight are at her door.

         “Oh, it’s not really-.” I notice something unusual about this girl. She has long black hair, she’s slightly taller than I am, and her eyes are red in color. Unlike a year ago, her eyes are lively and she lacks fangs. However, I am not fooled. I know who this is. I begin to panic. My heart speeds up, and I can’t breathe nor can I speak.

         “Have we met before? I feel like we have…”

         “You… No, there’s no way!”

         “Stay still, this will only hurt for a second…” In one hand is a knife. The same type that I saw over a year ago. She takes my hand, cuts open a finger, and tastes the blood. She then seals it with healing spell.

         “Oh, I remember now! That flavor is unforgettable! There’s no doubt about it, you’re my darling! But you’re married now! That’s… troublesome.”

         “Ketsueki!” I unsheathe my sword. “I won’t ever forgive you for what you did! You killed my men, killed those villagers, made me kill my friend…  You deserve to be sentenced to death!” This whole time, Ketsueki was here living a peaceful life, no longer even pursuing me… I can’t even believe it.

        “You think I would do something like that?” Ketsueki is being unusually friendly unlike the previous times we met.

         “Think? We saw you do it. All three of us.” Hikari and Shinrai confirm.

         “Oh, that wasn’t me. I’m not a vampire, see? I couldn’t hurt an insect if I wanted to!” It seems like she’s trying hard to gain my trust, but I know better. However, I notice something strange.

         “How’d you cure yourself? You were far beyond the point of saving!”

         “I was never a vampire! You only met the other me! I’m better than her, you can trust me!”

         “Hold on, there are two of you?! Why?!”

         “Please stop shouting! Y-you’re scaring me!” I notice the terror in her face. If this version of Ketsueki truly is innocent, then it makes sense that she would be unsettled by my anger.

         “Fine, but I have no intentions of being with you. Don’t cause anyone trouble, understand?”

         “O-okay, Darling. I promise. You know, we shared our memories. I saw everything she did… I’m glad that she’s gone… I’m sorry about your friend, too…” Now I feel guilty for yelling at her.

         “Hey. I’m sorry. I’m… sure that you’ll find someone else.”

         “No, I live only for you.”

         “I’m married, you know. Are you some sort of homewrecker?” I finally decided to ask. Why is she so determined to be mine? I guess it’s natural that I’d have some crazy fan girls as a celebrity of some sort, but this goes back to before I was the Prince. Of course, there were rumors of a guy living in the Princess’ house before we were married, but not many people believed it to be true (although it was). I did get plenty of strange looks back then, though.

         “Master told us to find you, to unite with our darling. He said that we would recognize you by your taste, that you are powerful.”

         “How can you tell that I’m powerful based on the taste of my blood?” Why am I the only one talking? There’s an archer and a knight standing behind me that are seemingly mute at the moment.

         “Your spirit energy. Your spirit is part of you, so of course there’s some energy in your blood.”

         “Wait, you said ‘recognize?’ As in we’ve been together in the past? With the both of you?”

         “No, it was just me. We grew up together, don’t you remember? We had so much fun together… I want to spend more time with you, like we did back then!”

         “But why was there another version of you? How did that happen?”

         “Master cloned me through alchemy and gave her vampirism… He thought that she would have better chances of finding you.”

         “Your master told you to fine me?! Do you know why?”

         “No, I think he just wants us to be together, like before.”

         “Like before…”

         “Yes, we promised to…” More tears swell up in her eyes. I have no clue about what is going on. “Well, you’re going to be king soon, and you and the Princess love each other. If you’re happy, then I’m okay with it.”

         “Ketsueki… Tomorrow… I want you to talk about our past. I don’t remember anything from before a year ago, so I want you to fill me in.” My mind is in a mixed state of anger and sympathy, both towards the same person.

         “Okay, come here at the same time as today. I’ll wait for you. Your friends can come, too.”

         “Prince Shugosha?”

         “Xeno? Do you think this the right decision?” The two girls behind me are surprised. I have every right to execute Ketsueki.

         “I… She has valuable information. We can’t waste it.” That was the answer I gave them, but the truth is that I don’t want to kill another human being, or anything that resembles a human, even if it’s Ketsueki. “See you tomorrow… Come on, let’s go… do a quest or something.”

         “Understood.” Both of the girls agree, but with some degree of hesitation.

         “Be careful, Darling,” she says the door as we walk away. The new Ketsueki certainly is strange. She’s innocent and kind. If we grew up together, then that’s probably the reason why I am attracted to Tenshi. I want to know every little thing that Ketsueki remembers about our past, about everything I had forgotten.

         “Hey, kids,” the old man greets us. Does he spend all of his time waiting for his favorites to return? Does he get paid for this? What is the point of that back room if he’s never in there (except for that one time)? “Runnin’ a quest today, huh? Are you gonna get back into Adventuring? It suits a Prince like you.”

         “I’m… not sure about that. I just need a distraction.”

         “A distraction? Listen here, there’s a dungeon out west of here. Filled with monsters, it is. I’ll pay up if you can clear it. It looks like an abandoned tower on the surface, you can’t miss it.”

         “Alright, we’ll try it. Let’s go.”

         “Affirmative!” Hikari and Shinrai agree and begin following me. Wait, why did Shinrai agree? Wouldn’t she have better things to do? Oh, that’s right, she’s a tsundere and secretly wants to spend time with me. Unfortunately for her, I don’t plan on committing adultery against Tenshi. I look back at the old man and see a smug expression. What is he up to this time, I wonder.

         The city is now in the horizon. There’s still a lot more walking to do. We’re now entering a forest. There’s a road for us to follow. The liveliness of the forest is truly beautiful. The trees are green with life, the birds are singing, and the air is fresh. I can feel the dirt crunching under my boots, and the sunlight on my neck.

         “Hey, Shinrai. Why’d you tag along? You could’ve stayed if you wanted to.” I figured it would make sense to ask since it’s a logical question. Of course, I think I already know the answer.

         “I-I felt like going through a dungeon! Coming with you is convenient for me!” How predictable, pretending to be selfish when she’s not… “Hey, are you gonna respond?!”

         “Hikari, what type of monsters do you think are there?”

         “It’s a dungeon, so I do suspect that there will be undead.” An image of the village that once stood over a year ago flashes before my eyes. It sends a shiver down my spine. “Of course, it’s underground so it’s a perfect environment for slimes and giant insects. There may also be kemonos.”

         “Kemono?” I haven’t heard that word before.

         “Correct. They are creatures that combine features of other monsters. Each type is unique to itself. One time I encountered a winged serpent.”

         “Does someone create them? It doesn’t sound natural for something like that to exist.” I was never an experienced adventurer, I still don’t know many things.

         “It’s possible through alchemy, but most exist on their own. We speculate that they were placed by the gods to challenge us.”

         “I want to try to summon my spirit this time, I never got to use it.”

         “Have you kept your spirit scar sealed for the past year, Xeno?” Oh, that’s right. Someone told me to always keep it sealed with bandages… After a week of her death, I had neglected to do so. It seemed insignificant.

         “Honestly, I forgot all about that.”

         “You haven’t covered it this entire time? Amazing, your spirit must be incredibly obedient.” That girl had told me that my spirit could go out of control if I didn’t cover the scar. I don’t even know what she meant, or what Hikari means, but I’m glad I never found out.

         “What’s your spirit?” I ask Hikari.

         “Only mages have spirits. I am a knight, so I won’t know what it is until I take an interest in magic.”

         “Oh? I wonder what Tenshi’s spirit is… I know she uses magic.” Just then, I noticed that she, too, had a bandage around her right arm. She’s always wearing a dress, so it’s hard to see most of the time. It’s sometimes visible at night while we sleep, or if her sleeve rolls down.

         “Am I not a part if your conversation?!” Shinrai shouts, frustrated.

         “Do you want attention? You’re popular, I’m sure the Guild will praise you when we get back.”

         “...” Shinrai growls at me.

         “Well, haha, we should pick up the pace if we’re going to make it!” I start jogging.

         “Are you challenging me to a race? Wait until the Guild hears about how I can run faster than the Prince!” Shinrai starts sprinting at full speed. She flies right by me. Does she feel that powerless compared to me? Ah, what the hell. A tsundere is always a tsundere. I begin to sprint, but I can barely keep up with her. She’s probably about a year older than me, so her more developed body provides her an unfair advantage. After a moment, I notice that I speeding up even though I’m not putting in any extra effort. I even pass Shinrai. I look behind me to see both her and Hikari slugging behind. Waits it’s not that I’m speeding up, it’s that they’re slowing down… It’s as if they’re moving in slow motion. I also notice a blue glow coming from beneath my right bracer. Does my spirit allow me to control time? I’ll conduct a test…

         “Time, freeze!” Suddenly, the world around me gains a shade of light blue, matching the glow from my scar. I see Hikari and Shinrai behind me, frozen in place. I didn’t expect that to work… I walk in front of Shinrai, her eyes are fixed in one position and her hair is motionless in the air. I move her leg that’s touching the ground so that she’s now floating in mid air. I also go to Hikari, and pinch her cheek with some force. Then, I walk ahead of them.

         “Time, resume!”

         “Gah!” I hear Hikari shout, and Shinrai scream as she falls over. I probably should've done something less dangerous…

         “Are you two alright?!” I shout, trying to hold back laughter.

         “It appears an insect of some sort just bit me, but it’s nothing to be worried about!”

         “Speak for yourself! I nearly went and injured myself!”

         “Good grief…” I help Shinrai up. “Come on, let’s hurry up!” I won’t tell them about my abilities just yet.

         After a couple hours, the tower comes within sight. It’s made of stone bricks and stands at about two stories tall. It’s covered with moss and vines, some of the bricks are even missing. It makes me feel like it will crumble apart if we even set foot in it. Birds fly away as we get closer. We stand outside of the door, made up of rotten wood.

         “Let’s head in,” I command. The girls follow me.

         On the inside is a single dark room with a spiral staircase leading to the rooftop. The vines still grow on the inside. The air in here smells like mildew.

         “This is a dungeon? Looks like a disappointment.”

         “No, Xeno! Look!” Hikari points to a hole in the floor. I approach it with caution. It leads to a dark cave leading downwards, the ground is just high enough to climb down and back up if we need to.

         “I’ll go first… Candlelight!” The spell I casted summons a ball of light that follows me. I then proceed to climb down. Hikari and Shinrai follow. Eventually, the cave leads into some sort of labyrinth. It consists of ancient stone walls, even older than the stone that makes up the tower.

         “How the hell are we going to keep tract of where we’ve been?”

         “With this,” Shinrai takes out some sort of chalk. “We’ll mark the way out so that we don’t get lost down here.”

         “Alright, that’s…” I notice something dripping from the ceiling. It’s green in color and is gelatinous. “That isn’t water, is it?”

         “No, it’s…” The substance accumulates into a big mass, forming a giant blob in the middle of the room. Even more begin to form. “...Slime!” Hikari shouts.

         “Alright, let’s take clean this up!” I charge towards a slime and slash at it with my sword. It goes straight through the slime. I see Shinrai shoot at another one, but the arrow becomes stuck inside of it. Hikari, however, is being engulfed in slime, and seems to enjoy it. This is hopeless…

         “Ignore them, we have to go forward!” I command. After a moment, we begin to charge for a doorway and escape the slimes. Suddenly, I hear a voice behind me. “Apprentice of mine, what are you doing running away from a monster?!”

         “Huh?” I recognize the voice. I notice a purple glow emitting from my right arm’s bracer. Slowly, I turn around.

         “I shall show you how to defeat a mere creature such as slimes! Watch me, apprentice! Dark firebolt!” No… this is impossible. She’s dead, I killed her myself. Even if she lived, she could never forgive me for what I did… The slimes burst into droplets with each burst of flames. “Dark flames!” Purple flames spray from her hand, it vaporizes the droplets before that can reform. Did I die? Am I dreaming?

         “Xeno, it’s-!”

         “Prince Shugosha!”

         “Konton…?” I can't move. Memories of my sword covered in blood pass by my eyes. It’s all my fault. Everything that happened that day is my fault. I drop onto the ground in the “orz” position. The “o” represents the head, the “r” represents the arms and torso, and the “z” represents the feet. My sword and shield are also on the ground.

         “Apprentice? Have you seen a ghost?! This dungeon could definitely host ghosts!” She’s dead, why is she appearing before me? Why must I be reminded of her, the girl who was killed because of me?

         “Xeno! Remain calm!” I can hear the two girls shouting. The third girl, who shouldn’t be here, is trying to figure out what’s wrong with me.

         “I killed you…”

         “What was that? You need to speak up!” She doesn’t seem to notice anything wrong, like she’s totally carefree.

         “I… I killed you. You’re dead!”

         “Huh? I transferred my spirit energy to you! Our pact will never be broken as long as you are kept alive! Have you not studied how spirits work?”

         “Did you come back to haunt me?! Everything was going to work out! I was going to spend time with Tenshi after this! I was going to be happy again!”

         “Speak no more, apprentice! You are causing quite the commotion! After all, it was never your fault that I-!”

         “No, how could you say that?! Get away from me!” I run for the nearest doorway. I don’t care if it’s the exit, or even deeper into the dungeon. Just please get me far away from this situation…

         The labyrinth is seemingly infinite, each room leads to even more rooms. Some rooms even have monsters, but I run beyond them. Skeletons, goblins, trolls… They’re all insignificant. The air is becomes difficult to breathe. Where am I going? Will I die down here? Will the others find me? It’s hopeless. I stop and sit in the fetal position in the corner of an empty room. All I can think of is Tenshi. Her smile, her playful and almost childlike demeanor. Her kindness always brings a smile upon my face.

         After what feels like an hour, I hear footsteps. It sounds only to be one person, the three must have split up to find me. There’s something strange about the pattern. It sounds more like shuffling, as if there’s no pattern at all. Whoever it is must be injured. Please, whoever you are, end this nightmare or stay away… please. I just want to go home.

         “...” They moan softly. This voice… I don’t recognize it. I look up, but what I see is a rotting corpse shuffling its way towards me. Judging from his armor, poor bastard must’ve been an adventurer that died here recently with no one to bless him. He’ll rip me apart and consume the remains if I just sit here… Quickly, I raise my right arm.

         “Firebolt!” Purple flames fly towards him and burst… He stumbles backwards a little bit, but his armor resists my flames. I charge at him with my elbow, causing him to fall down. Then, I retreat to the opposite corner of the room. I try to remember some other spells that I read about in the book that Konton had wanted me to read. Think, Xeno! Your life, and Tenshi’s happiness, depends your memory! The zombie begins to stand up.

         “Stay back, damn you! Stay back!” Fire magic won’t work… Shock magic probably wouldn’t do a thing to him… I’ve got it! I raise my arm and shout, “Icicle!” A mass of ice shoots out and impales the zombie’s head, killing it instantly. Thank the gods that I managed that… There’s a noise coming from another room nearby. I listen intently. Thump, thump, thump… There’s something big in there. Is it really worth investigating? Ah, screw it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

         I enter the room where the sound is coming from. It’s significantly larger than the other rooms I saw. At first, it seems empty, but I see something move just within the range of my light spell. It seemed animal like, and large. “Predator’s Eye!” I cast another spell that allows me to see more clearly in the dark. I can see the silhouette of a large beast. I approach it with caution. The creature is a large dragon-like creature, but it lacks wings. It has dark green scales and has spikes up it’s back. It sees me and roars. I decide to run for the other room, but it quickly blocks me. Dammit, I guess there’s only one way out of this.

         “Firebolt!” The spell has no effect.

         “Lightning bolt!” The creature reacts, but there was no significant impact.

         “Icicle!” The ice shatters against the creature’s skin. This is looking rough on my part. “How the hell am I supposed to kill this thing?!” I shout while dodging its attacks. It keeps trying to swipe at me with its claws and bite at me. Eventually, it whips its tail at me, launching me in air and causing me to hit the wall. The impact stuns me. Dammit! I need a weapon… The creature makes its way towards me. Hey, I have a bunch of metal on me, I won’t be very nutritious!

         Then, I remember. So far, I haven’t directly used my spirit. It’s time to change that… “My spine is my sword, and my sword is my spine. I summon thee, the Sword of Time!” I hold my hands out as if I were to hold a sword, and it then manifests itself in the form of blue light and electricity. I wonder if this thing can cut like the blade of a sword… I maneuver myself out of the way of the creature’s next attack. I whack it on its side, but there is little impact. Then, I slice at it before it can turn around. To my surprise, it cuts open. The wound may be very minor, but I can take this damn thing down. The creature becomes alert and starts moving faster. I try to stay behind it, causing him to turn in circles. Now, I could go easy and freeze time on it, but that feels like cheating. With agility, I circle it and slice at its legs. I continue to do so until it becomes immobile. I jump on its tail and climb up it’s back. It tries to throw me off, but I grip onto the spikes. I make my way to its head.

         “For the safety of my future, die!” With both hands, I stab the sword downwards and impale its head. After struggling for a moment, it becomes still and silent. So this is a kemono? I just soloed this damn thing. I climb down and take a moment to catch my breath. Yeah, I should’ve just frozen time and stabbed at it.

         After about a minute, I hear more footsteps. This time, they seem to be from an actual, living person. I’m too exhausted to look and see who it is. To my surprise, it’s no one that I came here with.

         “Good job, boy… Not everyone can kill such a creature on their own. No wonder why my creation chose you.” It’s a man, he has red eyes and his black hair is being held back by what seems to be gel. He’s wearing some sort of formal outfit. I’m sensing negative vibes from him.

         “Huh…? Who… are you? And… your creation? What’s that?” I’m still gasping for air.

         “The vampire, don’t you remember? I was the one who created her! That goes for the other one, too. Unfortunately, both were unsuccessful.”

         “You… You’re Ketsueki’s master?! What do you want from me?!” I begin to tremble.

         “She chose you… I created them, and they chose you. Do you know what significance that has?”

         “You created… Them? You only cloned Ketsueki to make a vampire, right?!”

         “No, boy! I created them both! How else would they share their memories? I created them both to find someone who could dominate this world, and they chose you!”

         “D-dominate the world?! No, I don’t want that! I’ll be king in several decades, and I’m not even sure if I want that!”

         “Ah, but let’s take a look at your past! The memories which your brain refuses to remember! That’s right, your brain decided to lock up all of your memories, but I can unlock them. Allow me!”

         “What?! No, don’t-!” He snaps his fingers, and my vision goes dark. There’s sharp pains in my head. After a moment, an image appears before me. I see myself staring at a device in a strange room.

         Every day is the same. All I do is sit around and watch TV, anime, or play video games with the occasional check in on social media. I eat, go on with my activities, eat, and sleep. The cycle continues. This has been going on for several years straight. I have a job, but it doesn’t require me to do much. Each day is becoming increasingly dull. Why can’t anything interesting ever happen?

         “Your technology! It matches that of the Precursors! Surely, they sent you to this era with it! Being a Precursor, you are above everyone in this entire world! You have so much potential!” _Stop it! I don’t want to remember!_

         I don’t really have that many friends. I have a few from early childhood, and one that lives nearby. Still, I don’t really socialize that much. I’m not really an interesting individual, so I don’t blame people for not liking me. In fact, I’d consider myself to be boring, mundane. I’m nobody special. I’m still waiting for someone to say that I am unique, and that they would never trade me for anyone else. Maybe that’s just some stupid thing that happens in anime.

         “You… You had nothing… Now, you have the opportunity to have everything this world has to offer! Why do you refuse?” I regain my sight. Although I didn’t regain any specific memories, I now remember that I had been wasting my life away.

         “I…” When I look up from the ground, somehow I fell back into the “orz” position, I see no one. Suddenly, I hear voices from behind me.

         “Xeno!”

         “Prince Shugosha!”

         “Apprentice!” I wish I could just stay in this spot until I die. Why am I even here? What the hell am I doing?!

         “Did you defeat this kemono on your own? Are you alright?” Hikari questions.

         “This is pointless,” I mumble.

         “What was that?”

         “I… want to go home. Forget the pay, let’s just… leave.”

         “Prince Shugosha? Are you okay? You look like you’ve been traumatized.”

         “We’re going home…” The girls look at each other with concern.

         “Konton,” Hikari says, “you transferred your spirit to Xeno, correct? Please return to your spirit for at once, I don’t think it’s wise to let him see you in this state.”

         “Right! I’ll summon myself once more when my magecraft is required!” After a brief moment, she disappears into purple flames. Hikari and Shinrai help me up and lead me to the exit. Each room has been marked with chalk. After some time, we make our way back to the tower. I’m the first one to climb up. Shinrai follows me. Hikari, however, never came back up.

         “Hikari! Come on!” I shout into the cave. Instead of Hikari, I get a response from someone else.

         “If you wish to see your knight again, then join me! I can guarantee her safety!” It’s the man from earlier.

         “You bastard! I’ll never!” He laughs.

         “Then say goodbye to your knight!” He laughs at me.

         “W-what?! No! Stop! Hikari!” There’s no response. “Dammit, this is…” I stand still for a moment before darting towards the cave. Shinrai grabs my hand and holds me back.

         “Prince Shugosha! We shouldn’t pursue him on our own!”

         “No! This is all my fault! I’m going to stop him!” Shinrai gives me a hard slap with her remaining hand. I remain still.

         “Do you think this is your own battle? Don’t be stupid… None of this is your fault. We’ll come back and fight when we’re ready.” She’s now showing the “dere” part of “tsundere.”

         “Fine! We’ll go home and come back tomorrow!”

         “Well, we should check in with the Guild first,” Shinrai suggests. I guess we did fail our special quest. I’m not sure if what I witnessed was real. My memories were real, but Konton, Hikari, and that stranger… I need to find him if I want to get Hikari back… Ketsueki should know where he is. Wait, didn’t she say she knew me? How could that be? Does this involve the fact that that stranger “created” her? Well, he didn’t unlock all of my memories, or anything specific. It’s possible that we met in early childhood. Still, he said that I’m a Precursor… it would be nearly impossible for us to meet prior to this era. No, maybe I came from a village, or a town, of people who managed to find and salvage the Precursors’ technology… Dammit, this is too much to think about. I take a breath and calm down.

         “Tenshi’s gonna be pissed off at me,” I say.

         “Huh? Why would she?” Shinrai replies, I can see that she’s trying to comfort me. It’s appreciated, but it’d be best from Tenshi herself.

         “She doesn’t like when I do risky things like this. This… situation… is my fault. I’m going to fix it, no matter how bad this gets. I’m going to have to convince her to let me.”

         “No, this isn’t… Well, just tell me who that man was.”

         “Remember that vampire last year? He’s her master, or something… He wants me, and only me, to join him and conquer the world.Don’t you see? It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have come out here.”

         “Prince Shugosha… don’t say something so stupid! It’s not your fault for existing! We’ll assess this situation, but don’t blame yourself! I guess you really are stupid…”

         “Don’t argue with me, please. I have to save my energy for when I tell Tenshi about this… You think YOU’RE angry? Well, my safety is Tenshi’s top priority…”

         “Well, let’s get going,” Shinrai takes my hand and helps me up. We exit the tower and begin to walk towards the city. We speak not a single word. After everything that just happened, the only thing on my mind is Tenshi, my guardian angel.

         A few hours pass and we’re now at the city. It’s late in the afternoon, but still not the evening. There’s a few people walking around here and there, but it’s generally quiet today. The Guild is now just down the street.

         “Huh. It looks empty,” Shinrai says.

         “Empty? It’s always open, isn’t it?”

         “Yes, that’s what’s strange about it.” We walk closer and enter the front door, there’s not a single soul in here.

         “Hey, old man! Are you in there?” I shout, but there’s no response. “What the hell?” I walk around for a bit, but there’s no one. There are no signs of a struggle, either. “Maybe Ketsueki knows about this… Come on,” I say to Shinrai before exiting.

         “What do you think could’ve happened?” I ask as we walk.

         “Well, there’s no such thing as a day off for adventurers… There couldn’t have been a raid, otherwise there would be some people left behind… “

         “Let’s ask Ketsueki.” I approach her home and knock on the door. I hear some shuffling coming from inside. After a moment, the door opens.

         “Darling! You said you wanted to talk to me today, didn’t you? What did you want to talk about?” She seems ecstatic.

         “Oh, right…” I remember everything that happened in the dungeon. I decide that it’s best not to ask her about “our” past just yet because they may just be false memories implanted by her master. “Well, forget about that, I have something else I want to ask… Do you know what happened to the Adventuring Guild?”

         “Oh, the Guild? I think they all went out somewhere.”

         “A raid?”

         “Hmmm… They didn’t have weapons on them. You should wait for them to come back.”

         “Oh… okay, then. Thank you. We’ll be going.”

         “Take care!” The door shuts.

         “That’s it?” Shinrai asks.

         “I’m not comfortable around her. I don’t want to linger for too long, otherwise I’ll go crazy. You should go home for today.”

         “I understand. I’ll be seeing you again soon.” She begins to walk away. When did we agree to meet again? Did we even agree to meet again? Ah, who cares? I start to walk home.

         After a moment, the motion of moving my legs becomes automatic. I am deep in thought. Why does that man want me, of all people to join him? Am I really a Precursor? Am I really that powerful? What will he do to Hikari? More importantly, how will she handle it? With masochistic outbursts, what will be of that? Are Ketsueki’s memories real?

         The questions still keep swarming by the time I enter the front gate to my home. My thoughts are interrupted when a large hand touches my shoulder. I jump and turn around. “Hey there, kiddo.” It’s the old man, along with the rest of the Guild.

         “Oh, it’s… What are you doing here?!”

         “Never got the chance to congratulate you on gettin’ married. We’re gonna throw a big party for you!”

         “Huh? That was almost a year-.”

         “Xeno! I didn’t know the Guild had this many people!” Tenshi exclaims, her hands are crossed behind her back.

         “Yeah… there’s a whole lot of them.”

         “Oh! Where’s Hikari?”

         “She’s…” A wave of emotions overwhelms me, “Now is not the time to talk about it… I’ll tell you tomorrow.”

         “Okay,” she replies. She’s staring at me with a curious expression. She’s probably reading my emotions like text on a book. After all, she’s extremely perceptive.

         “So… about this party…”

         “We’re gonna have a big feast, let me tell ya. We brought all sorts of food already. We got drinks, too!” I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

         About 30 minutes pass before we find ourselves in the dining room. Of course, I’ve checked in with Fu, who was sleeping at the time. The Guild’s top adventurers take up its seats. Since there isn’t enough room for everyone, some people choose to have their dinner outside. On the table is a myriad of various dishes consisting of fruits, vegetables, and meats. Everyone is singing, shouting, and joking with each other. It’s like a big happy family. The only people missing are Shinrai, Hikari, and… Konton. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be comfortable enough to summon her. That aside, the mood of the room does put a smile on my face.

         “Come on, kid. Drink up!” The old man shouts. He hands me a glass full of… something. It resembles that drink I had on my date with Tenshi.

         “What is this?” I take the glass with caution.

         “Oh, don’t worry about it! It’s good, trust me!” I look over at Tenshi to see if she can confirm his statement.

         “It’s okay, go ahead!”

         “Right… Well, being out all day has gotten me thirsty, so don’t mind me!” I take my glass and chug it down in seconds. “Oh, this is…” As it turns out, this IS the same drink that I had the other day. I can’t remember anything after our meal that day, so that means… “Did you… Did you just make me drink a FULL GLASS of some alcoholic beverage?!” This glass was even larger than the one I had before, so the effects will be even worse.

         “Can’t hold your liquor, huh? Well, I don’t blame ya. The concentration of alcohol in that is higher than most drinks. Expensive as hell, it is…” The old man jokes at me.

         “I can’t even remember my exact age, but I’m pretty sure I’m still a minor…”

         “Huh? What are ya, eighteen? Nineteen? You’re a big grown-up now.” He pats my shoulder and smiles.

         “Tenshi… How could you let this guy fill me up with alcohol?”

         “You need to enjoy your time, Xeno!”

         “What’s the point of that when I won’t even remember it? I’ll feel awful tomorrow, too…” Tenshi takes my hand.

         “Let’s eat!”

         “Fine, fine…”

         Thirty minutes later, my stomach is full to the top and the alcohol has already set it. “Y’know… I almost died in that dungeon yesterday…” My speech is slurred. I see Tenshi staring at me with a strange expression. Somewhere in between concern and curiosity.

         “Well, you look alive and well to me, kiddo!”

         “Yeah, I took out my magic sword and killed it!”

         “You killed what?”

         “A big lizard! The size of a bus!”

         “I dunno what the hell a ‘bus’ is, but I’m assumin’ that’s plenty large!”

         “And then some crazy bastard comes out and says ‘If you want to see your knight again, then join me.’ And I was like, ‘Get the hell away from me!’ and he went and did it! He stole my knight! I’d have killed him them and there, but he disappeared like a coward!”

         “Xeno…?” Tenshi has concern in her eyes.

         “Tenshi?” I stare back at her for a moment. “I… I don’t feel so good…” My vision darkens. I feel myself falling over.

         It’s morning by the time I wake up. I find that I’m clinging to Tenshi, who seems to already be awake. My head is spinning, as is my stomach.

         “Are you alright? Do you feel sick?” Tenshi asks immediately.

         “Ugh… I feel so awful that I can’t even put it into words…” I try to perform a recovery spell, but the headache prevents me from focusing.

         “Here, I’ll do it for you,” Tenshi says. As she performs the spell, I feel the relief within an instant.

         “Ah, thank you. I feel better already…”

         “...” I notice something strange about Tenshi’s tone, she doesn’t seem to be in a good mood. Such a thing is a rarity.

         “Are you alright? You seem a little quiet…”

         “Xeno…” She takes a moment to gather her thoughts. I have a feeling that once she starts going on, I won’t ever hear the end of it. “Please… tell me what happened yesterday.”

         “Yesterday… We went to clear a dungeon, Hikari, Shinrai, and I. When we went in, the first thing we found was a bunch of slimes… We couldn’t even attack them at first, but…”

         “But what? What happened? Tell me.”

         “Well, after we fought the slimes-.”

         “How did you defeat them?” I was hoping she wouldn’t notice me avoiding that bit of the story, but she won’t be satisfied until she knows everything.

         “K…” Do I dare say _her_ name? I’ll get an earful if I don’t. Well, I might get an earful either way… “Konton showed me. Fire magic… is effective against slimes.”

         “Konton? You mean-.”

         “I got scared of her and ran away. I know it was stupid, but I couldn’t help it. Eventually, some man found me. I don’t know how he got into the dungeon, but he said that he wanted me to join forces with him… I think he’s with that vampire we killed last year…”

         “What did you say to him?”

         “I told him no, but he disappeared before the others found me. And then when he left… Hikari was behind us, but she never came back… He said that if I wanted to see her again, then I have to join him.” By this point, I am now standing, as is Tenshi.

         “What are you going to do?”

         “I’m going to find him and take Hikari back. It’ll be tough, but it has to be done. It has to be…”

         “Why?! Why does it ‘have to be done?!’” Tenshi becomes teary-eyed. I feel guilty for putting her in such a state, but I have to get Hikari back. I can’t live with even more blood on my hands, the blood of innocents.

         “Because… because this is all my fault. All of it! If I wasn’t there, Hikari would’ve been fine! That guy’s after me, and me alone!”

         “And how do you plan on saving her?!”

         “I’ll track him down… I’ll stop him…”

         “All by yourself?! Why can’t you have the Guild do it for you?!”

         “Use the Guild? For what, to get them all killed? No, I’ll do it myself.”

         “You remember what happened when you attacked that vampire, don’t you?!” I take a breath and attempt to calm down.

         “How could I forget?”

         “You plan on attacking someone who may be even more dangerous than she was?! All by yourself?! I won’t… I can’t allow it!” She runs up to me and embraces me tightly. I can’t even move my arms by a centimeter. Her long, silver hair shines in the morning light, and her cheeks glisten with tears. “I don’t want you to go… I don’t want to lose you!”

         “It’s the only way… I have to get her back by myself. Having anyone else with me is a risk…”

         “Please, I don’t want you to get yourself killed! You’re all I have! Staying here all alone with no one to talk to, no one to spend time with, for years! . . . I can’t do it anymore!” She finally admitted it... All of those strange things she said to me during that first week start to make sense. She’s been here alone for a long time, finding me must’ve been a blessing to her. 

         “If I’m just someone to spend time with, then…”

         “No! I know what you’re thinking! It’s not like that! My heart races whenever I see you! Every second I’m with you, I want to hold you just like this! I want to wake up every morning beside you to see that you’re still there!”

         “Huh… Well, then… I like that about you, how you still like me despite my uselessness… I still can’t believe that a princess found me and fell in love with me…”

         “No, you’re not useless! Don’t say that about yourself!”

         “I’ve failed to make myself useful even once.”

         “No, stop saying that! If that’s what you think, then you don’t know the Xeno that I know! Just being here with you makes me happier than I’ve ever been!”

         “No… I got some of my memories back. Not a whole lot, but enough… I spent all my days just sitting around doing nothing. I was never an interesting person…”

         “...Then we’re the same! We’re the same…”

         “No, I’d be dead if you weren’t there when you found me, but this… is my chance for redemption. I’ll get Hikari back.”

         “...If I can't convince you to stop, then… promise me. Promise me that you’ll come back!”

         “Yeah, I will.” I will never make a promise to Tenshi that I can’t keep. “No matter how long it takes, I _will_ come back. You can count on it.”

         We sit on the ground, where Tenshi continues to cry. Eventually, she falls asleep. She’s curled up in a ball with her arms wrapped around me. I pick her up and place her on the bed. I run my hand down her soft, silk-like hair. I still feel guilty for making a girl, and Tenshi of all people, cry. I’d better get out of here before she wakes up… I decide to write a note to her.

 

_Dear Tenshi,_

_By the time you are reading this, I have already set out on my mission. No doubt, it will be tough, but I will emerge victorious. When I’m finished, I promise that I’ll spend some much-needed quality time with you. And remember this: No matter how long it’s been, I will return. In fact, you can use your healer spells to detect my lifeforce, can’t you? Do it every once I a while, and know that each second my heart still beats, I will think of you._

 

         I place the note on the table beside the bed and exit the room. I gently close the door… Suddenly, a large hand lands on my shoulder.

         “Goin’ on a solo raid, huh?” It’s the old man.

         “W-what are _you_ doing here?!”

         “Don’t you think you’ll look funny goin’ out on your own? You’re the goddamn Prince, after all. Sheesh, what were you thinkin’?”  

         “What are you saying? This is personal, I can’t bring anyone else into this…”

         “I know, I’m just sayin’ that you should take this,” he hands me some sort of cloak. It’s brown in color, and tattered. It looks a little large for me, and it has a hood. If I were to wear it, no one would be able to identify me unless they unveiled my hood.

         “Oh… Thanks, I guess.”

         “It ain’t a problem at all… Well, go get your knight back, kid. We’ll make sure the Lady is safe and sound ‘till you get back.” He leans against the wall. How the hell is he acting so casual in the Princess’ house? Well, I don’t sense any bad intention from him, so I suppose it doesn’t matter. I pull the cloak over my head and start heading to the city, where I can find a lead. I still wonder about some things, such as why Tenshi claimed that she’s been alone for a large portion of her life, but that will have to wait.


	9. Journey, Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fu, we’re not in Unmei anymore...

Chapter 9, “Journey, Part 1”

 

         I arrive at the door which I’ve been at only twice before. With some hesitation, I bring my hand towards it. I see my armor as the rag-like cloak falls down my arm. Finally, I knock on the door. There’s some footsteps that get louder before the door finally opens.

         “Hello? Can I help you?” Ketsueki asks, a wave of anxiety flows through my body.

         “...May I come in? It’s important.”

         “Oh… um, sure!” She steps out of the doorway and let’s me walk in. I shut the door behind me. Then, I throw back my hood and reveal myself.

        “Oh, it’s you! I thought I recognized the voice!” She quickly becomes excited, but this isn’t just a friendly meeting.

        “Calm down. This is important. People could die… No, people _will_ die, but I want to prevent as much death as I can.”

        “Alright…” She collects herself.

        “I need you to tell me where your master is. It’s absolutely necessary that I find him. You’re the only one who can tell me, I’ll do anything for this information.”

        “Hmm… Well, you are my darling, so you don’t need to do anything. Just seeing you here before me enough. As for Master… He has a base of some sort to West. It’s hidden in a dungeon.”

         “A dungeon to the west… Does it look like a tower on the surface?!”

         “Yes, exactly! How do you know?” This is explains a lot… We walked straight into his domain!

         “Never mind that, I have to get there!” I throw on my hold and head for the door.

         “Wait!” Ketsueki shouts. “Take me with you… I want to help.”

         “Do you have combat experience? Do you have something to disguise yourself?”

         “Yes,” she says as she takes out a red cloak and a knife. No doubt, they’re the same design as the ones I saw over a year ago. The sight of them fills me with anxiety.

         “Don’t attract too much too much attention. I don’t want anyone knowing that we’re out here.” We exit the house, both covered with our hoods. We’ll definitely look strange on the way out, but no one will know it’s me. At least, I thought no one knew it was me…

         “Prince Shugosha! Where exactly do you plan on going?!” Shinrai shouts from behind us.

         “Hey! Not so loud! Come over here…” We lead her to a less populated corner of the street. We look like some sort of shady merchants. “I… We are going to get some payback on that guy we met in the dungeon.”

         “A dungeon raid? Count me in… Do I need a cloak like yours?”

         “Preferably, yeah. I want to keep this quiet. We’ll get in, strike, and get out. We absolutely have to get Hikari back, otherwise this mission is pointless.”

         “Alright, I’ll be back in a moment.” Shinrai departs temporarily to fetch a cloak. After about five ten minutes, she returns.

         “I don’t want him to know it’s us, so we can’t even speak until he finds out for himself.”

         “We won’t be very coordinated without communication, are you stupid?!”

         “...Yeah, I know. We’ll use hand gestures. Go forwards if I hold up one finger, stop if I hold up four, retreat if I hold up three, and aid whoever I point two fingers at.”

         “Understood,” both of the girls say simultaneously. The three of us, disguised and all, exit the city.

         The walk is just as I remembered from the other day. I’m not in the mood to do this again, so I think of something.

         “Both or you, hold my hands. I’m gonna try something. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt you.”  Ketsueki obeys immediately, but Shinrai hesitates for a moment. Eventually, she submits to my suggestion. When both of the their hands are touching my own, I visualize the Sword or Time. I imagine its bright blue energy channeling down my arms and into the girls’ hands. When I open my eyes, I see that what I imagined has become reality. “Speed up,” I whisper to my spirit. Suddenly, our movements are quickened. “Let’s go,” I try to say, but the words are sped up and are indistinguishable. Oh, so that’s how it’s gonna be… I move my hand and point to the direction of the dungeon with one finger. The message seems to pass along just fine, because I see two blurs of light dart towards where I pointed. Then, I follow.

         What should’ve taken hours merely takes a few minutes. “Return to normal,” I command my spirit. The energy leaves my companions and returns to me. Our movements a now normal. “I think… I’m going to be sick,” Shinrai complains.

         “But… we’re here. Whatever my darling did worked,” Ketsueki says, who also seems to be pale-faced. I, however, am unaffected. It must be because of the energy I transferred to them.

         “We have to get this done. Come on,” I point to the tower with one finger. Once we get inside, no words shall be spoken unless the mysterious man finds out who we are. Immediately before we enter, however, a purple light emits from my right arm. It starts to burn, so I unveil. A purple orb exits the scar, and hovers in front of me. What is this? The orb expands and distorts into the shape of a girl. Then, _she_ appears before me.

         “Ah, Apprentice! You’ll need all the help you can get, so I shall aid you!” My heart starts to beat faster, and I freeze up. I want to scream, I want to run away,

         Suddenly, there’s a soothing voice in my right ear, the voice of an angel. “Remain calm, Xeno. You can do it,” it whispers. Immediately, I begin to relax. What was that, a spell? Was that Tenshi? How could she cast such a spell from such a distance? Anyway, I still feel uneasy, but not to the point where I’ll break down again. At least Tenshi is watching over me as I told her to.

          “I am already familiar with your hand gestures! Let us proceed!” The mage assures me. I point to the inside of the tower with one finger and walk inside. Carefully, I lower myself into the cave in the ground. The girls follow me. Eventually, we reach the labyrinth. The slimes are no longer in this room, but there’s many more danger-filled rooms. Somewhere among them is the mystery man’s lair. I continue to walk, and the girls continue to follow. Shinrai marks the walls with chalk as she did last time.

         There’s a noise from the opposite side of the room. Nothing is visible from my light spell, so I walk cautiously toward where the noise came from. I see the silhouette of something slim. There’s gaps in its torso… It’s a skeleton, and behind it is many more. Each are wielding swords or axes, some even wear armor. I wonder if it’s possible to summon the Sword of Time without speaking…

         “ _My spine is my sword, and my sword is my spine. I summon thee, the Sword of Time_ ,” I repeat mentally. I visualize the great sword in my head, emitting its blue energy. Then, I feel something in my right hand, but there’s something wrong… I open my eyes to see that the Sword of Time has been reduced to a shorter, one-handed sword. I know it’s not due to my method of summoning because I can detect some sort of interference in the spiritual energy.

         Despite this, I swing my sword bravely at the skeletons. They break apart easily, though they have great numbers. I don’t think arrows or magic will be effective against skeletons, so I order my group to stay back with four fingers. The enchantments of my armor repel all of the attacks, so I don’t take any damage. The skeletons, however, continue to fall and crumble into piles of bones. I still instinctively dodge their attacks and their equipment as it falls to the ground. After a few minutes, the room is clear. I point with one finger to the next room.

         As I enter, I see the silhouette of a large creature. Despite its size, it resembles a muscular human, but with a bull-like head. It’s… without a doubt…. a Minotaur! It wields a large club, and looks down at us intimidatingly. I gesture my hand, and point at it with one finger. The Minotaur, aware of our intentions, becomes angry and attempts to swing its club. It swings several times until an arrow fires at his hand, causing him to drop it. Ketsueki runs up to it and slashes at his legs with incredible speed, causing him to fall. A large chunk of ice spawned by magic appears above him, and falls. He’s been immobilized. Then, I take the Sword of Time and impale its head. Some sort of strange energy bursts from my sword, but I assume that it’s related to the interference I’m feeling. Despite this, I make the order to continue to the next room.  

         The room is quiet, almost too quiet. The only thing in the room is a single wooden chest. It could contain something of value, so I decide to open it. I approach with caution to ensure nothing gets the jump on me. Finally, I find myself in front of the chest. I slowly lift it open… There’s nothing. Another adventurers must’ve looted ur already. Suddenly, Shinrai grabs my hand and pulls me back. Confused, I look back at the chest and see that it has revealed razor-sharp teeth around the opening so that it resembles a mouth. It tries to nudge itself towards us. So, this is a mimic? It seems pretty weak, but I guess I could see a novice adventurer falling victim to such a thing. A ball of fire flies past me and hits the mimic. It jumps up, down, and even falls over as it falls apart into ashes. Somehow, it can feel pain. I proceed to the next room.

         This process continues for about an hour. In that time, we stayed many, various monsters. Most were simple creatures such as goblins and trolls. Occasionally, there were feral Demi-human-like creatures similar to the Minotaur. So far, we haven't encountered another kemono like I did the other day. Ultimately, we surpassed all of the enemies with our coordination, despite not speaking a single word. However, we have had no luck with locating the mystery man’s lair. I remember a spell that I had read about in my free time… What was it?

         Now I remember. _“Clairvoyance!”_ I repeat mentally. I continue to repeat the phrase until I hear nothing else but the sound of my internal voice. After a moment of this meditation, the spell activates in the same way the Sword of Time did. I’m actually surprised that this worked. I don’t remember reading anything about activating spells, or spirits, without actually speaking. It was merely luck that it works this way. Anyway, I visualize the mystery man and the path becomes clear. I signal the group to follow me, and they obey.  

         After several minutes of running, we find ourselves in front of a set of double wooden doors. Cautiously, I open them. Waiting on the other side is a large well-lit room. There’s strange tubes full of liquid that a person could fit inside of, a shelf of various chemicals, a chemical mixing laboratory of some sort, a library, and a large, strange device in the corner. It’s cylindrical in shape and has a large chamber inside of it. Several people could stand inside of it. There’s also doorway that leads elsewhere, but it’s dark. How typical of a villain’s lair… The four of us slowly enter.

         Footsteps come from the dark doorway. The four of us place ourselves against the wall where the door is so that whoever it is can’t see us. Instead of getting the jump on him, and laughs. “So, you mongrels came back after last time? Prince Shugosha, did you come to join me?” He knows…

         “You know exactly why we’re here! Come out, and I’ll make this quick!”

         “Oh, so that’s how this must be? It’s a shame… You had so much potential, Precursor.”

         “Precursor?!” The three girls shout.

         “It’s not-!” I get interrupted by the mystery man rushing into the room, who has caught us off guard. Almost instinctively, I point to the shelf of chemicals. “Firebolt!” The chemicals combust, and glass flies everywhere.

         “Damn you! Do you have any idea how valuable those mixtures are? The time it took to perfect them?!”

         “Nope! But I’m kinda glad I got rid of them!” I summon the Sword of Time. It’s still reduced to a one-handed size.

         “Interesting! So, my Nullify spell is working!” So this interference was his spell? I figured this was his doing. Wait, if my Spirit is being affected…

         “Konton!” I quickly glance at the mage, who is now transparent.

         “No, Apprentice! You mustn’t worry about me! Focus on the greater picture!” She’s right…

         “Ack!” The man screams, an arrow has punctured his left arm. Swiftly, I take my sword and slash at his right left. He’s now on the ground. “You stupid mongrels! You’ll pay for this!”

         “You’re done!” I aim for his torso with my sword, but he immediately casts a spell that summons a magical barrier around him. It resembles a bubble instead of the membrane-like one produced by my armor’s enchantments. He begins to heal himself.

         “Heh… You really did catch me off guard… but this will not happen next time! I will not hold back on using my use power! For example…  I wonder what would happen if you were to disappear… What would your beloved a Princess think of that? I bet she’d just kill herself from the misery!”

         “You bastard! Don’t you dare try anything!” The girls seem to understand my feelings. They begin to attack the barrier, but nothing passes through.

         “I wonder what would happen if she forgot about you completely,” he laughs. “After all, she’s merely your dog! She follows you wherever you go! She’s nothing without her precious Prince!”

         “You…” Water accumulates in my eyes, but I grit my teeth as hard as possible to prevent the tears from falling. I can’t show him that I’m weak… I can’t…

         “No, she’s not just a dog… She’s a _bitch!_ ”

         “You bastard! How _fucking_ dare you?! I’ll kill you!” I take what remains of the Sword of Time and charge at him in blind rage. Swiftly, he summons a spike of ice and launches it at me. My mind comes back to me when I notice the cold and painful sensation in my chest. I immediately release the Sword of Time, causing it to disappear into the air.

         “Your next line is, ‘Did I get him?’”

         It’s hard to breathe, though I still am able to. I can’t move, my body simply won’t respond. “... Did I… get him?” The realization that he accurately predicted what I was going to say strikes me. Can he manipulate minds? Is that why he wondered what would happen if Tenshi never met me? Dammit! I can’t let this guy off the hook, but I’m injured.

         “Yes, that’s right! I can read your mind! If I desired to, I could manipulate your own memories, but you’ll be dead soon!” The man says as if I asked him out loud. I fall onto the ground, I can barely even feel the pain. I look over at Shinrai, Ketsueki, and Konton, waiting for them to do something, but they’re all staring at me in shock. Am I dying?

         “Hahahaha! It’s ‘Game Over’ for you!” Did he just say “Game Over?” Not a single place around here has video games… How would he know that phrase? A headache manifests itself in my head. I remember… My memories, fragments of them, keep coming back. I still can’t remember my identity, but I remember things such as the fact that I didn’t always live in this country… Before Tenshi found me, I lived somewhere else. I know that my life before that was different, but I don’t remember exactly how.

         “You are quite an anomaly, boy. I will unlock all of your memories one day… You will remember everything! Your identity, your knowledge of the Precursors’ technology, all of your pain from your previous life… But that is only assuming you survive! In that case, remember my name, Seishin! But, no doubt, you will bleed to death! The rest of you shall starve in the middle of nowhere!” What a typical antagonist speech…

          He casts a spell, and we are pushed into the corner by an unseeable, magical force similar to wind. The magic forces us into the strange device that was in the corner of the room. This movement causes the pain in my chest to hurt even more. I remember seeing something odd about the device we’re standing in… It was metallic and had wires… Wait, wires?! That’s the first time I’ve seen wires in this country! We’re in trouble!

         “We have to get out of-!” I try to warn my allies, but I end up coughing blood. Then, Seishin snaps his fingers. The device seems to activate. My vision fades as the light emitting from the device brightens.

         I see myself standing in the vast desert once more. The ground begins rumbling as it did last time. The sand falls into a great, unless pit. From the pit, the great machine that calls itself the “Primordial” rises. Is this really the second time I’m having this dream, or is it deja vu?

         “We meet again, Webster,” His voice echoes.

         “Who’s Webster?” I ask him. The name sounds familiar, and not just because it’s because it was on ten box that I had when Tenshi found me.

         “It’s no one other than _you_. Of course, I haven’t allowed you to unlock your memories yet. This… ‘Seishin’ is problematic. He may unveil things that you are not yet meant to know.”

         Wait, now that I remember that box… “The metal box that I had, is that mine?”

         “Correct,” the ancient machine replies. “You inherit it and its contents. Your family is… How should I phrase this in such a way that you can comprehend it? Well, you will not find them no matter how hard you search. I suppose I can give you the combination.”

         “So that must be my last name… What’s my first name, then?”

         “You were not very fond of your first name, so I shall spare you that detail.” Now that he mentioned it, I do remember occasionally thinking about how my name was boring. However, I am unable to remember what it was… Maybe it was for the best that Tenshi dubbed me “Xeno.” I don’t have a problem with being called “Webster,” but it’ll take some time to adjust.

         “Anyway,” he continues, “the code is ‘2053.’ Consider the contents a reward for finding your path.”  

         “So, my path is to destroy Seishin? He is a source of evil, so I can understand, but what of Tenshi?”

         “I did not send you here to find love, though it seems you are in better shape than you were before.”

         “Are you saying that I was a loner?!” To be insulted by such a great machine…

         “No comment,” he says after a brief moment of silence. Clearly he is trying to hide the fact that Seishin already revealed to me. That was the past, so I don’t mind it anymore. “However, I’m surprised. Our foe is able to nullify even my power.”

          “Your power?” He keeps mentioning things that I do not understand, so more questions keep spawning.

          “Yes. The power that feeds your magic, and even your Spirit, is given to you from me. Of course, it is your responsibility to unleash it, but this Seishin is able to reduce its strength. He must be eliminated as quickly as possible, otherwise this world will fall apart as the last three did.”

         “What do you mean? What are the last three worlds?”

         “Four great civilizations have risen since the dawn of Time itself. Humans, during the height of the first civilization, discovered magic. An energy that all beings possess. However, only after this discovery were humans able to harness and utilize this power. Still, they were unable to prevent the destruction of Earth while the great star, Sol, expanded. Using time travel, they went back and ordered my creation. I was able to transport this planet to another suitable location where the planet is not in danger of being consumed by its sun. When the world eventually died due to the mistreatment of the planet, I reset it as I was ordered to.”

         “So that was the first civilization… Am I from this time? Is that why they call me a ‘Precursor?’ What happened to the other two civilizations?”

         “I cannot answer your first question, or rather I choose not to. As for your other question… Civilization II and Civilization III were destroyed by humans themselves. They decided to play God, and even engineered what you call elves and Demi-humans. Ultimately, they waged war on each other and obliterated the Earth’s surface with magic. A similar thing is happening again, and so you must stop it.”

         “Wait, if humans were destroyed, how do I understand this world’s language?”

         “I preserved many humans and demi-humans to populate the next civilization. They chose to speak the language of old, but they decided on their own to change how it was written.” Ah, that explains a lot. What the hell am I gonna do with this knowledge? I’m surprised my brain hasn’t melted. This is quite a strange dream.

         “It’s time for you to wake up now, Webster.” My vision fades.

         “But I still have many questions!” My vision continues to fade. He doesn’t want to answer anything else for now. I guess I can understand.

         “Xeno!” Someone shouts. There’s a warmth on my face, the warmth of sunlight. A breeze also blows across my face.

         “You must wake up!” The voice sounds familiar, yet I cannot identify it. Is it Tenshi? No, it couldn’t be.  

         “Stand back, Knight. I’ll take care of this,” another voice speaks. Oh, this is… Suddenly, something hard slams onto my chest. I instantly sit up, my eyes are wide open. Instantly, I begin coughing up blood. The thing that hit me was… Shinrai’s bow?! “See? He’s still alive,” the same voice says.

         “Xeno! You need to heal yourself! The Princess taught you, did she not?” The familiar voice asks. Oh, that’s right! I can heal myself!

         Tenshi had taught me after I gave up on adventuring. Immediately, I cast a healing spell, the same spell that Tenshi used on me over a year ago. Over a span of several minutes, I can feel the wound sealing itself. The ice spike, by now, has disappeared. I can’t see the whole event occur because the spike traveled through my armor as if it weren’t even there. It managed to penetrate my enchantment, too. There is, however, some blood on my cloak and a hole where the oversized icicle was unlike the armor.

         I notice a familiar knight kneeling beside me. “Hikari?! How’d you get here?”

         “Seishin… said that I was an unsuitable hostage,” she says with an embarrassed expression. Right… she’s a masochist. She’s the last person you’d want to take hostage…

         “Good grief… Wait, where are we?” I’m sitting on the middle of an open field of hills, the grass is overgrown. In various areas, the grass is seemingly dead. There’s not a single sign of civilization in any direction.

         “We are in unknown territory. I suspect it’s the open land Southwest of Unmei,” Hikari replies. Right… Unmei is the country that we should be in.

         “Why is it so open? I mean, there’s not a single building or anything…”

         “Just look at it,” Shinrai snaps at me. “The land is unsuitable for farming… Anyone living out here has to resort to hunting. At least _I’m_ here if we must resort to that.” Uh, did she forget about how I can manipulate time? Wait, something’s not right…

         “There is also a desert that separates Unmei from this place. We shouldn’t expect anyone from Unmei to be around here,” Hikari adds.

         “Ah, so we’re screwed? Anyway… where’s the mage? She was with us.” Ketsueki is also missing, but it’s logical to assume that Seishin took her back.

         “Ha,” Shinrai laughs. “A spirit has no need to remain in its physical form… Sheesh, you really _are_ an amateur…” I don’t need the sass, you bitchy tsundere!

         “Xeno! We must return you to the Princess as soon as possible! That is our priority!” Hikari states the obvious. I notice that she slipped up on something…

         “My name… is not Xeno. It’s Webster.

         “Webster?” Hikari questions. “That does sound similar to a Precursor’s name…”

         “Huh? Precursor’s name? Give me some other examples.” I want to confirm if I’m really such a “Precursor.”

         “Someone well known is… What was it?” Hikari takes a moment to refresh her memory. “Joan Titan? No, it was a man…” Oh, I know this…

         “John Titor. A supposed time traveler. No one ever found out for sure if he was real, but it was extremely likely to be a hoax by some guy in Florida.”

         “A hoax originating from Florida? Such a place was only rumored to exist, yet you say it like you’ve been there… You must be the real thing,” says Shinrai, who is shocked. “How’d you remember your name, anyway?”

         “Oh, I…” I try to remember my dream, but I can’t. All that I know is that I can remember more than I was able to. “I guess it just kind of came back to me. I still don’t remember a whole lot, so hold back all the question for now… I wonder what Tenshi will think. Also… Seishin had a damn teleporter just sitting in the corner of his room and no one said anything even after we ended up here!”

         “Teleporter?!” both of the girls shout.

         “How do you think we got here? With magic?! No, that machine had wires and everything! He must’ve recovered the Precursors’ technology! I mean, I didn’t even think a teleporter could possibly be made, but he just made and used one!” I finally stand up. It hurts in my chest to move, but I’ll have to endure it.

         “Recovering Precursor technology…? Yes, I suppose it could be used for something evil…” Hikari thinks to herself. “Anyway, um… Webster… Do you have any ideas about how we can return home?”

         “Huh? Why are you asking me? I’m a useless shut in!... I guess I could speed myself up run for home…”

         “We’d be home in maybe a day if you did that. I doubt it’ll be that easy,” Shinrai claims.

         “Just shut up for a moment, you’ll jinx it!” I attempt to activate my spirit powers to prove Shinrai wrong, but I fail. It feels like the interference, which was a spirit-nullifying spell casted upon me by Seishin, is greater. “You jinxed it!”

         “You think this is MY fault, you amateur?! I’m not even a Precursor like you, what could I possibly do?! Hmph!” Am I some sort of crazy-people magnet? The most normal person in my life is Tenshi, and even she is hiding things from me… I’ll have to talk to her when we get back. I can imagine that she won’t let me go outside ever again after this. All of this aside, I still failed my objective, I underestimated the enemy.

         “Prince!” Shinrai shouts, disrupting my thoughts.

         “Huh? What is it?”

         “Listen…” She focuses her attention to her ears. I decide to follow her instruction. There’s something moving in the distance, and it’s big. In the distance is some sort of roars, like a large beast. There’s something going on…

         “Hikari, any idea what that is?” I attempt up ask, but it seems she’s fantasizing again. I could use a better squad…

         “W-Webster! Do you hear that?! That’s the sound of a dragon!” Hikari is excited, which means we’re in for some trouble… A dragon? I’m sure it can’t be any worse than that kemono I fought the other day. At least, that’s what I thought!

         A large, red, four-legged, scale-covered, and winged beast flies over us, exhaling fire. If we hadn’t dodged its attack, we’d surely be nothing but ash on the ground. I’m not even sure if my armor’s enchantment  is able to protect me against fire. If it does, the heat would still transfer to my armor and grill me in seconds. The movement from dodging hurts a lot, but I’ll die if I just sit around.

          The beast itself is at least as large as a decently sized one-story house. From my experience with large and scaly creatures, spells won't even scratch it. I’m in no condition to fight, anyway.

         “Shinrai! Shoot it down!” I command.

         “Understood!” she responds immediately. Shinrai’s aim is extraordinary, clearly she overpowers me in that area. Well, I haven’t got any experience with shooting bows, but that fact alone proves my point. I’m surprised that our cloaks haven’t caught on fire. They’re basically oversized rags.

         After being hit several times, it lands. There’s a violent shaking after its heavy body slams onto the ground. In begins to inhale.

         “Everyone, look out!” We jump out of its field of fiery destruction. Dammit, if only I had my sword and shield. The Sword of Time probably won’t work since it’s been so long since Seishin’s nullify was casted.

         “Hikari, try to get a hit on it!”

         “O-of course, Webster!” She’s almost too ecstatic to function, but surprisingly she manages to run up to it and slash its scales. It throws its head, suspended by its long neck, up into the air it what seems to be pain. However, it it immediately swipes Hikari away with its wings, causing her to fall onto the ground. “Hahaha! This is just as great as I imagined it would be!” Of course, she is now incapacitated. What a useless knight! Now, the dragon is in the air. It continues to swoop down at abreathe fire, but with no success of hitting us.

         Seemingly out of nowhere, a long, metallic spear is thrown at the beast and lands in its neck. The wound is deeper than Shinrai’s arrows and causes the beast to crash violently. For a moment, it’s struggles. It squirms, and tries to get up, but can’t. I kind of feel bad for it, despite the fact that it just tried to roast us! Anyway…

         “Who the hell threw that spear?!” I shout.

         “Oh, that would be me,” someone replies. I can see three people in the distance over the hills. The same direction where the loud thumping was coming from. Could they have been making all that noise? No, it would have to be a large creature. For all I know, there must be something beyond the hills, out of my vision. I quickly throw up my hood before they can identify me, as does Shinrai.

         I can make out their appearance as they approach. There’s two girls, one has blue hair and the other has red, and a taller blonde guy. The blue-haired girl’s hair is shorter, whereas the red-haired girl has longer hair. The blue-haired girl is also shorter than the one with red hair. They all seem no older than I am. Strangely, they all seem to have the same eye color, which is an amber yellow.

         “Hey, you kids!” The blonde guy shouts at us. “Do you mind getting my lance? It’s kinda stuck in that dragon over there!”

         “Oh, um… sure…” I reply, staring at them. They all have pretty simple leather armor. Shinrai’s is much more “professional” looking. As the man asked, I approach the corpse of the now-dead dragon. That guy must’ve hit something vital for a one-hit kill.

         “Prince Shugosha,” Shinrai stops me. “You are in no condition to do this… Come on, I’ll do it for you.”

         “I just healed myself, didn’t I?”

         “You seem to misunderstand healing magic… What an amateur. I suppose I can explain it for you. It doesn’t restore your health, it encourages new cells to grow. Obviously, a bunch of new cells are going to be tender. It could tear if you move too much.” That explains a lot, actually. No wonder why Tenshi was desperate to keep me in bed for those first couple of days. Shinrai pulls out the lance from the dragon’s neck like Excalibur from its stone.

         “Here’s your spear,” she says. If she were giving it to me, no doubt she would say “I didn’t do it for you, or anything! Idiot!”

         “So, do you plan on attacking us or not?” Well, she certainly is still moody.

         “That depends,” the blonde man replies. “Where are you all from? How’d you all get here? We’re in the middle of nowhere.”

         “Well, this idiot over here is the Prince of the kingdom of Unmei. We’d best get him back or else his… wife… will be incredibly angry. That knight over there is assigned to accompany him.”

         “Unmei, huh? You didn’t happen to get shoved into a strange Precursor device, did you?” The other two people beside him are silent.

         “Actually,” I decided to speak up. “That’s exactly how we got here. You don’t happen to know where we are, do you?”

         “Oh, this? This is the frontier! Civilization is at least a week or two of traveling away! And by the way, that’s assuming you don’t stop for eating and other things! Hope you plan on staying!”

         “This is problematic. Xeno- er, Webster, is our country’s Prince. His absence will be quite… troublesome for the Princess,” Hikari has collected herself. No doubt that Tenshi would give me a reverse-restraining order in which I am forced to be within a certain distance from her at all times.

         “Ha, well good luck! We’re in the middle of nowhere!”

         “Yeah, yeah… I’ll just use a spell. Here goes… _Clairvoyance!_ ” My vision fixes to the Northeast. I can sense that Home is in that general direction. “That way, it’s that way!”

         “Aw, and here I thought we could be nomads in the Frontier together! I guess I don’t see any problems with coming back to Unmei. Well, there is _one,_ but that ain’t your business!”

         “Is there… a reason you’re coming with us?” I ask.

         “Well, do you see any food lying around? We know the wildlife around here, we’ll have you all set up!” Wildlife? I don’t see any animals other than…

         “You eat dragons?! Really?! Dragons?!”

         “Of course! It sure is a pain to remove all of the scales, but Red’s gotta eat!”

         “Red? Who’s Red?”

         “Oh, I didn’t tell you? These two are Red and Blue, you can probably guess which is which. And me, you can call me Lance!” I notice that the red haired girl, who I assume to be Red, is observing me instead of merely staring. Blue, however, is staring at me with no emotion as if I weren’t even present. As I stare back at Red, I notice that her facial structure is familiar. It’s the same as no one other than Ketsueki.

         “What’s the matter? Perhaps you are in awe of my beauty?” Red says, catching me off guard.

         “Huh?! No, it’s not-!”

         “Don’t worry yourself… A perfect specimen like you should be smiling, not worrying! Keep that up and your hair will be gray before you’d like it to be.”

         “Uh… Perfect specimen? An explanation, please.” Immediately after I ask, she places both of her hands around my right hand.

         “Of course. There is Precursor blood in you. Your gene pool is much more pure than anyone else on this part of the planet. Producing offspring with you would be-“

         “Red,” Blue interrupts her. “As the lady here suggested, I advise that you keep your distance from this individual. A nobody like is producing offspring with a prince would be very problematic on both their and our ends,” Blue speaks almost emotionlessly. The whole nobody crossing with royalty thing that she just mentioned is a bit ironic considering my background…

         “Ohohoho… But Blue, you know I always get what I want,” Red’s eyes fill with a strange energy, like a cat ready to pounce on its prey.

         “What you want should not concern this man, who was made a prince by being married off to a princess.”

         “Hold on a second!” I remember that no one directly mentioned that. “How do you know that?”

         “A Precursor couldn’t be royalty for all of his life. He was transferred from his era to here, or awakened from a two or perhaps three era-long slumber. From there, you met a princess and were married. It’s only logical.” The entire time, she keeps a straight face. Wow, she’s like a living computer… I feel like I’ve heard about the whole “two or three era” thing before, though I can’t say for sure.

         “Lance! How do you expect me to sleep soundly every night when this perfect specimen is right beside me?!” Red pouts, her voice full of life.

         “Uh, well… Hopefully he isn’t right beside you when you sleep,” Lance says with his eyes closed and a forced smile on his face.

         “No, no, no! That simply will not do! Do you expect me to rest when I could be ‘observing’ a Precursor, whose gene pool is pure and whose beauty is greater than anyone currently existing?!”

         “Uh… I’m flattered, really. But I’m happily married, thanks.” This entire situation is awkward. I wish I could force myself to pass out right about now.

         “Oh? But have you produced an offspring? Surely, introducing Precursor blood to a royal bloodline is ideal. If something were to happen, I suppose I won’t mind producing a child or two with you!” She’s so excited that I’m convinced she’s going to start singing. I hope she doesn’t…

         “Red, if you are going to become a home wrecker then I shall dispatch you to prevent such a problem,” Blue threatens. It seems Red is more playful (and lustful) than Blue, who is more calm and reasonable. Blue’s tone, however, is like that of a robot. Lance, who no doubt is named after his weapon, is very passive and is the most normal of the three. I suppose this is better than being slaughtered by Seishin and having Tenshi worry about me. She’ll probably assume I’m dead before we get back…   

         “Come on! We should skin this dragon before it gets dark,” Lance suggests, and we comply.

         The scales are large and sharp and hard as rocks. Merely touching it too hard on some bits is enough to cause bleeding. The process was facilitated by using a temporary magic sword summoned by Blue. The scales that we removed were placed into a large pile. Lance carved out large chunks of the dragon’s flesh which would easily feed a group of ten instead of the six that we are. Strangely, one of its two horns is missing even though I could’ve sworn it was there earlier.

         By the time we start cooking, the sun is setting and the wind has died down. The fire is fueled by magic, and the meat is cooked by sticking it into the temporary swords and roasting it over the fire. I don’t remember ever doing something like this before. I also removed by armor to get comfortable, though I put my cloak back on over my normal clothes.

         “Hey, kid. Is this your first time eating dragon?” Lance asks me.

         “Yeah, I think so…”

         “It’s my first time, too,” Shinrai adds.  

         “First time?!” Red suddenly interrupts. “Have you and Mr. Precursor done _it_ without telling me?!”

         “Huh?! O-of course n-not! After all, it’s n-not like I even like him or anything!” Yeah, right. That, and the sky is green.

         “Excuse me, Lance. Do you happen to know what is going on in the sky?” Hikari asks, while pointing to the sky… Huh?! The sky is really green?!

         “Yeah, yeah. It happens down here late in the evening. Something about gases in the atmosphere,” he replies. “Oh, kid! Your dragon meat’s ready! Take it out of the fire or else it’ll burn!” Quickly, I pull back the sword which has a portion of the dragon’s flesh impaled on it. “Let it cool down a bit,” Lance suggests.

         After a moment, I lower the sword and ensure that I won’t burn my mouth as I bite into it. The temperature is perfect. I take a bite out of the questionable meat, and, to my surprise, it’s similar to any other meat I’ve eaten. It’s hard to chew, but rich in flavor.

         “Oh, this is actually…” My mouth begins to feel hot. “What did you put on this?!” I shout, gasping for air.

         “Nothing! Dragon’s meat is naturally spicy! It’s considered a luxury food, after all! Fitting for a prince like yourself, isn’t it?” He smiles brightly. Spicy foods are not my favorite, but it’s not completely unbearable. Besides that, this is the only source of food in this region, so I better get used to it. Suddenly, a question appears in my head.

         “Hey, what are we doing for water? That’s pretty important…”

        “Damn, almost forgot! Here…” He snaps his fingers, and then water vapor from all around begins to accumulate in one singular point. When it stops, it resembles a large bubble floating in the air, only that it’s a solid mass of water. It’s large enough for everyone to drink from. “Just drink form this!”  

         “Shouldn’t you boil it or something?”

         “Nope! Only water molecules get attracted. Bacteria, dirt, and all that stuff gets left behind!” Knowing that, I directly suck the water out of the floating mass. A straw would be nice.

         “Hey, everyone else! Come get your water!” When I look over at everyone else, I noticed that Red is eating the dragon’s meat like potato chips. How is her body in such a good shape if she eats all of that meat?! Where does all of that go?! Blue, however, is the complete opposite. She ate the bare minimum for her body to function as she wants it to.

         “Blue, you have to eat if you want to grow!” Lance shouts towards Blue.

         “Currently, my body is satisfactory for what I do,” she replies.

         “Good grief… you’re quite the odd bunch, aren’t you?”

         “Ha! Wait until you see them hunting dragons!”

         We take turns drinking from the water until only a few drops remain. After that, we sleep beside the fire to keep us warm. This heat is only a surrogate for the warmth Tenshi provides me when she holds me tightly during our sleep. I hope she knows I’m alive… It’ll be awhile before we can get back. At least a week and a half, anyway. Wait, isn’t Unmei a whole country? And we’re outside of it?! Wouldn’t like nearly a year to travel from here to home?!

         “Wait!” I sit up instantly as if waking up from a nightmare. “What do you mean by, ‘Civilization is a week or two of travel away?!’ That’s a lot faster than it should be!”

         “Oh! I didn’t tell you? Well, I never said _by foot_ , did I?” Lance responds.

         “Huh? Do you expect us to _run_?!”

         “Now that you mention it… I don’t see any horses around here,” Shinrai adds. There’s not a single mountable animal nearby.

         “Let me tell you Blue’s nickname. We like to call her ‘Little Dragon Tamer.’ You can figure it out yourselves. Anyway, goodnight, all of you!” Huh… I’d like to see that happen. Blue, that _loli_ of a girl, taming a dragon… What a strange bunch. I’d like to see what Red specializes in. All of that food has to be for _something._

         I can feel the warmth of sunlight. No doubt, it’s now morning. I don’t even want to open my eyes yet. Still, in addition to the sun’s radiation, I can feel something else. A familiar warmth that I know very well…

         “Tenshi…?”

         “My, oh my… How devoted you are to her, it’s quite lovely,” someone whispers into my ear. The moment I notice that it’s not Tenshi, I try to jerk up and open my eyes widely. However, something is wrapped around me and is restricting my movement.

         “You must’ve move, or you’ll wake the others,” she says softly.

         “Get off,” I pry open her arms and escape her grasp, “of me!” Oh, it’s… “Red? Can you explain what you were doing, please?!”

         “I would also like to hear an explanation,” Blue says, who was seemingly awake the entire time but didn’t say a thing.

         “Oh! I was only teasing, only teasing!” Red pouts. “Surely, a fine specimen such as this has lots of ‘energy’ that never gets used! This was a sort of ‘stress relief,’ if you will!”

         “Have you any consideration for Lance? By your logic, wouldn’t he have the same ‘unused energy’ that you speak of?”

         “But you see, this prince here is a Precursor! I must observe everything about him! Naturally, that would include performing ‘experiments!’” Uh… why are they talking as if I weren’t here? Do they even see me anymore?

         “Come on, you two…” Lance yawns. “At least save the arguing for later…”

         “I suppose I could, but only because there are more important things to be done! Blue, if you could kindly scout for a suitable ‘ride,’ will you? I’m growing bored of these grassy hills!” I’m completely lost in this conversation…

         “Affirmative…” Blue then darts off in a seemingly random direction.

         “So, where is she going?” I question.

         “Oh, you’ll see. She’s quite talented when it comes to animals!” I have a bad feeling about this…

         Hikari and Shinrai also woke up while we waited for Blue. Breakfast, for today, was the same as dinner. Spicy meat and water isn’t really ideal for breakfast, but it’s better than nothing. I can definitely see why it’s considered a luxury food. We were all eating together like a big, relatively happy family. It felt peaceful, and it remained that wait until…

         “A dragon is coming! It will arrive here shortly!” Blue shouts in the distance, running towards us.

         “Already?” Red complains. “But I wanted to spend more time observing this Precursor!” About that, I think Red genuinely has an interest in me… At least Shinrai is aware that we can’t ever be together, but Red has no worries at all. If these guys were made like Ketsueki was, I can see how Seishin was able to create her based on these three.

         Shinrai and Hikari begin to ready themselves for combat, but Lance interrupts them. “You two, you don’t have a single thing to worry about! Just relax and let us work!” Shinrai seems to have taken that as an insult.

         “Hey! We’re just as able to fight as you are!”

         “Excuse me, Shinrai, but Lance did mention that Blue goes by the alias, ‘Little Dragon Tamer.’ A name such as that surely has meaning behind it,” Hikari places herself in front of Shinrai.

         “Get out of my way! I’ll fight these guys if I have to!”

        “Could you possibly fight me instead?! I’d allow you to do so if you wish!” I’m not entirely sure that there’s one personality residing within Hokari’s mind. There’s a fifty-fifty chance she’ll act as a noble knight, or a shameless masochist.

        “Fight with you?! You’re totally useless in a fight! You submit to your opponent in mere seconds! And the way you act, it’s gross!”

         “S-such awful words from such a highly respected adventurer! Could you degrade me some more?!”

         “This is exactly what I’m talking about! You’re not even fit to be a knight!” Shinrai then realized that she just fed fuel to a fire. Hikari is in a fit of pleasured laughter. Such a sight is enough to make me cringe… This fit is suddenly interrupted when a dragon, which is dark green in color, flies above us.

         “Dragon!” I shout without thinking.

         “This one looks big enough! Red, Blue! Get to work!” Lance orders. The two girls, without saying a word, talk off. Red swiftly picks up Blue and holds her in her arms like a baby. Red, after ensuring that she has secured Blue, breaks into a spring faster than humanly possible. She manages to keep up with the dragon, who is flying through the air faster than any of us could run.

           Then, with incredible and inhuman strength, she throws Blue and she soars through the air like a throwing spear. It’s an unusual sight. So that’s why Red has to eat so much damn food, she’s a monster in a human’s body! I don’t even want to know what it’s like to get in a fight with that girl. It’s a miracle that she’s so carefree. Her strength is fueled by food just as Konton’s magic was. I wonder if she’s seeing this. She’s only a spirit, after all.

          Red’s aim must be just as incredible, because Blue manages to fly up right beside the dragon and grab one of the spines along its back. From there, she manages to make her way to the start of the dragon’s neck. What happens next shocks me…

         I’m standing completely still, partially in fear and partially in awe. My body won’t respond to the signals sent by my brain. Anyone with a living, breathing dragon sitting IMMEDIATELY TO THEIR RIGHT would likely react the same way. Somehow, Blue was able to control the dragon like it was her family pet. Personally, I’d prefer to be holding Fu, our guinea pig (or at least something that resembles a guinea pig), with Tenshi rather than riding a dragon…

         “Now, that’s a nice ride!” Lance exclaims. Really?! We’re going to ride a dragon?! “Come on, let’s ride! Don’t cut yourself on the scales!”

         Somehow, all six of us manage to sit on the oversized creature. The spines on its back separate us. I have a feeling that I’m going to have to hold onto it for my life…

         “My, my… this type of transportation suits you well, Precursor,” Red whispers, who is seated behind me.

         “Do you think so?” I respond.

         “Is there a faster way to travel? Naturally, that excludes your spirit ability of yours. We’ll have to lift that curse of yours.”

         “Huh? You know about that?”

         “Of course, my dear. I’m able to read you like a book. Your spirit is much more powerful than you think it to be. It’s not merely a sword. I’ll let you discover it’s true power for yourself… That aside, you don’t mind if I hold onto you, do you?”

         “Uh… I suppose not, but don’t get any funny ideas!”

         “Do you think so lowly of me?! Even I, of all people, have respect for you marriage! What a ridiculous assumption!”

         “I have a little trouble believing you after that event this morning…”

         “Oh! Just because I want to snuggle with you and have you all for myself doesn’t mean that I have no respect for a married couple, especially royalty!”

         “By any chance, did you mean to say ‘observe me?’ I _am_ a so called Precursor, after all…”

         “Yes! That’s exactly what I meant to say!”

         “Hey, you two! Are you ready?! It’s gonna be a rough take-off!”

         “Yeah, let’s get going already!” I shout.

         “Affirmative!” Blue responds.

         The green beast begins running forward before flapping its wings. The motion blows air in every direction. I'm not sure how much this oversized fan will help once we reach the desert… How are we even going to feed this thing?! Slowly, we lift from the ground. Shinrai, Hikari, and I all nearly get motion sickness. I hope I don’t fall…


	10. RETROGRADE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this micro-chapter, Tenshi looks for something to do while Xeno is away.

         She woke up sometime around noon. Her eyes were still red from the crying. Even though she knows what happened, she’s still surprised to find herself alone.  Beside her was a note from her precious prince. It reads,

 

_ Dear Tenshi, _

_ By the time you are reading this, I have already set out on my mission. No doubt, it will be tough, but I will emerge victorious. When I’m finished, I promise that I’ll spend some much-needed quality time with you. And remember this: No matter how long it’s been, I will return. In fact, you can use your healer spells to detect my lifeforce. Do it everyday, and know that each day my heart still beats, I will think of you.     _

         He was right, for she had magic capable of tracking his vitals. This included his heart rate, his breathing, and emotions. If he were to panic and break down again, she would be able to calm him with spells, even at a great distance. These spells, however, still have a range limit, though it’s unlikely that he’d be able to exit the range. Injury shouldn’t be an issue, as she had spent much time teaching him about healing magic. There was a period where he refused to even leave home, but she had knew that he would return to the life of adventuring one day. 

         “I’ll be waiting for you,” Tenshi whispered, hoping her words would reach her beloved. She then decided to focus her attention elsewhere. 

         She made her way downstairs into the kitchen. By now, all the plates and glasses from last night’s party has been cleaned up. Luckily, no one had broken anything while in a drunken state. In the storage room, cooled by magic, is fresh vegetables. She took some of these vegetables and cut them into small pieces. She gathers the pieces, along with some of the dandelions that grow outside on the yard, and places them on a plate. Then, she takes the plate elsewhere, for it isn’t for herself. 

         Awaiting her in the garden room is the small animal, Fu, who is the the family pet of Tenshi and Xeno. She slides the assortment of food into his enclosure, and immediately he runs towards it. Tenshi gently pets him as he munches on his favorite vegetable, carrots. He purrs, which puts a weak smile upon Tenshi’s face. Fu, whom Tenshi loved as if he were her own child, would be somewhere in the wilds if not for Xeno. With this in mind, it’s no doubt that Tenshi would one day be a mother. 

         The mere thought of Tenshi bearing Xeno’s children was enough to overwhelm her, and cause her face to turn red. Any thought of Xeno was enough to get Tenshi’s heart racing. Xeno was her first everything. Her first friend, her first lover, and the first person to address Tenshi as a normal person. This was more due to the fact that Xeno originally was unaware of Tenshi’s status, but even so, it’s appreciated. 

         Then, a question comes into mind. It’s not one of her own thoughts, but of the insecurities that she tries so hard to conceal. “Does he love me as much as I love him?” Such a question is enough to make any person anxious, but it’s especially worrying for a young princess whose spouse determines the next king. 

         It comes to Tenshi’s attention that Xeno never really “advanced” on Tenshi. Their relationship is stable, but that status is as frozen as ice. A relationship should flow like water, move in one way or another. It’s no doubt that Xeno could never dislike her, but he always acts level-headed even though he could fall apart emotionally at any moment. After all, he had killed a girl with his own sword by mistake. Even though she was guilty of it herself, Tenshi didn’t like how Xeno always holds back and keeps his pain to himself. Then, Tenshi decided for herself that she would get his attention when he returns. She would no longer hold back on her emotions for her beloved. 

         “Mistress,” someone interrupts her thoughts. “Shall I prepare a change of clothes for you?” It’s the mysterious elf maid who serves the Shugoshas. Rumors say that she was once a warrior who would heal her wounds in seconds and immediately resume battle. It appears that everyone in this house has something to hide. 

         “Yes, please,” Tenshi replies.  “I’ll be heading to the bath now.” 

         “Alright. Don’t forget to prepare breakfast for yourself.” She departs.  Why doesn’t she eat, Tenshi wonders to herself. It’s impossible to live without taking in sustenance. Perhaps she hides snacks for herself and only eats them when no one's watching. Well, it’s nothing if significance. Tenshi makes her way to the bathroom. 

         The bathroom, the perfect place to think to oneself. It’s isolated from everywhere else and the aura is calm. Perhaps, Tenshi thought, she should convince Xeno to bathe with her. Doing such with someone whom she is married to can’t be seen as indecent. This could act as a part of her scheme to no longer hold back. Perhaps things could advance if Tenshi made a move rather than Xeno, for he is too anxious about everything to further develop his relationship. 

         After the bath, Tenshi had fixed herself breakfast as the maid suggested. It felt unusual to make breakfast for only herself, as she usually also had to prepare a plate for Xeno. Whatever she did, her thoughts would inevitably involve Xeno. That’s how she verified that her feelings were truly of love, and not merely because he was her first real friend. Underneath the mask of excitement and playfulness that fills Tenshi when Xeno is present is an accumulation of anxiety and fears. She had been alone for a long time. She lived far away from the King’s palace as it was “not fit for children.” The only time she met others was for political reasons. On the topic of politics, if not for a certain boy appearing under a tree, Tenshi would be married off to some prince of another country. To be married to someone whom she didn’t love was her worst fear, but that is now a concern of the past. The only way that issue could resurface is if Xeno were to pass away. 

         “I should check on him,” she thinks to herself. “Inspection!” She casts the spell to observe Xeno’s vitals for abnormalities. His heart rate and breathing is normal. There’s no signs of distress. Soon, he’ll be in battle, so a faster heart rate is unavoidable, but emotional stress is something to be cautious of. He did mention that the girl he killed by accident appeared before him in the dungeon. If this were to happen again, intervention would be necessary. However, casting a spell other than inspection at this distance would require a great amount of energy. All she could do was hope that nothing of the sort happens. 

         Tenshi decided to visit the nearby city and look for something to do. She wasn’t sure exactly what she would do, but she didn’t want to worry about Xeno all day. The first person she encounters is the Adventuring Guild’s manager, an older but also mysterious fellow. He was at last night’s party, so he must’ve left in the morning along with everyone else.

         “Hey, Princess! I wasn’t expectin’ you to show up today,” the old man shouts. 

         “Oh, it’s Mister…” Tenshi tries, but she can’t seem to recall a name. 

         “You don’t gotta be so polite! You can just call me ‘John!’” He laughs. 

         “John? Is that a Precursor name?” 

         “Yeah, just like your prince. My folks were crazy about ‘em. They were devoted researchers. All their research was lost in a fire. A damn shame, it was.” 

         “My Prince? You mean Xeno? Are you implying that he’s a Precursor? I suppose that would explain a lot…” 

          “Ah, dammit. Looks like I mighta spilled the beans on this one,” he says to himself. “Well, y’know how Precursors are… He matches the descriptions of people from that ‘Asia’ place.” 

         “If that’s true, then that also means his genes are…” 

         “Yeah, looks like your kids are gonna be a lot more healthy than the rest of us.” 

         “Kids…” Tenshi becomes embarrassed. 

         “What’s wrong, kiddo? Are you feelin’ okay?” Tenshi is aware that John is playing dumb, but he doesn’t have ill intentions. She has the ability to detect lies and determine if someone had good or bad intentions. She’s a lot smarter than she acts, though that doesn’t mean her personality is “fake.” 

         “Oh! It’s nothing! It’s nothing! It’s just that… he doesn’t seem to be interested in… that.” 

          “In that case… uh…” John laughs nervously. “Maybe it’s ‘cause he think  _ you’re _ not interested. That’s all I can say to ya about that. I ain’t a professional.” It’s true that Tenshi never once mentioned to Xeno the future of the Shugosha bloodline. Despite her natural mother-like qualities, it’s not like Tenshi to talk about having children even though that the thought has crossed her mind.  

         “Well, y’all are still young, so you don’t gotta rush it.” 

         “Yes, I suppose you’re right.” This conversation gave Tenshi some food for thought. “Well, I’ll be going now.”

         “Be careful, kiddo. For someone of your status, being alone is dangerous,” John warns as Tenshi departs. What could possibly endanger her, Tenshi wondered. It would be a very bold move to attack the daughter of a fair king, especially in a city. Tenshi interpreted John’s message to be a general warning, and that she’s not in any real danger. 

         About a half hour of wandering later, Tenshi found herself in the restaurant district. It’s the same place that she was at the other day. 

         “Oh, it’s the Princess again! Did nyou come for anyother meal?!” A cat-type Demihuman interrupts Tenshi’s walk. Her tail waves in excitement. They all have a strange accent in which they mix the sound a cat makes, “nya,” into their sentences. Some, including Nekko the cat-maid who is standing before Tenshi, even throw in puns such as “purrfect.” Strangely, many teen boys take in interest in this type of demihuman.  

         “Oh, not today! I’m was just passing by!” 

         “Maybe anyother time then, nya?”

         “Sure! I’ll make sure to bring Xeno, too!” 

         “Alright! Sounds like a deal! See nya later, then!”

         “Yes, we’ll see you too!” 

         Tenshi found herself in the residential district. She encounters a house which is currently void of people. There’s something odd about this house… Xeno was here, and recently. Tenshi could feel the energy. Who lived here, she wondered. She didn’t want to invade the privacy of someone’s home, be she couldn’t help but wonder what was so important that attracted Xeno’s attention to here. 

         “Excuse me,” Tenshi contacted a guard who happened to be posted nearby. “I believe there’s something suspicious in that house. Can I investigate it?” 

         “Of course, Mistress! If you believe something’s wrong, then I am in no position to question it!” Being the daughter of a fair king has its benefits. She doesn’t even have to pay for her goods because restaurants and merchants will offer them for free, but she still pays out of kindness. This kindness is not an act, but is purely of a Tenshi’s own doing. “I only ask that I accompany you. I’ll have to report your findings, if there’s anything at all.” 

         “Alright,” she replies. 

         With caution, she approaches the door. As it opens, she is hit with an aroma of scents. Sweet smelling perfumes, the same kind that Tenshi would apply to herself. That, by itself, is not necessarily unusual, but why there’s such a high concentration is a mystery. Tenshi slowly enters the building, and the guard follows her. 

         The inside of the house is unsettling. All of the curtains are closed, reducing the amount of sunlight that can enter. All but the rooms visible from the entrance are somewhat dirty. It’s evident that somehow had been trying to deceive someone else.

         “I don’t like the look of this… Say, do you know any illumination spells? We can get a better look,” the guard says, who’s becoming nervous. 

         “Yes, I’ll cast it. Candlelight!” A small ball of light appears above her head. It provides light equivalent to a flaming torch. 

         The rest of the house almost appears as if it were uninhabited, but the rooms that are clean suggest the complete opposite. If not for the used bed, Tenshi would’ve thought that there wasn’t a person living here. There’s now only one room left to investigate, the basement. The door has rusty hinges and squeaks as it opens. The stairway leading downwards is dark and dank, almost like a cave. There’s a rotten smell coming from below. 

         “Pardon me, Mistress, but I believe something is down there… I’ll head down first.”

         “Alright…” Tenshi casts the candlelight spell again and gives it to the guard. Then, he makes his way down the stairs. They creak as he steps on them. Eventually, he makes his way down. 

         “Mistress!” The guard shouts. “Your suspicion was correct!” 

         “Let me see!” Tenshi quickly follows the guard downstairs. Before her was something from a nightmare. It’s no wonder why Xeno was so traumatized… On the floor is a rotting corpse. It’s been there for awhile. The walls are equally as terrifying. Written in now dried blood is the word, “Darling!”  This was the work of a vampire. 

         “Secure this building and don’t let anyone in or out! This is serious! Call over some of the guildsmen, too!” 

         “Understood, Mistress!” The two of them rush out of the building. 

         There’s now five guards stationed around the house. It would be impossible for anyone to sneak in or out. Some of the guild’s archers are positioned on the rooftops, too. Xeno was here… but why? Did he know about this? Tenshi decided to check up on him again.

         “Inspection!” She casts the spell again. His heart rate is abnormally high, and there’s signs of emotional stress. Immediately, Tenshi draws a magical rune in the air.

         “ Remain calm, Xeno. You can do it,” she whispers. She also put a charm on the rune to reduce the stress. Then, she sends out the rune which should make its way to him. It’s likely that he saw the little mage girl who died last year once more. She hopes that everything turns out well. 

         There’s no longer any time to wonder, so Tenshi finds it best to make her way home. Was it a mere coincidence that John had warned her of danger immediately before finding herself in it anyway? It had to be, because there’s no way he could be involved in this. 

         A couple hours pass before Tenshi reaches home. However, she encounters a man standing outside the front gate. It’s a taller, middle aged man. He’s well dressed, has red eyes, and has black hair that seems to be gelled back. 

         “Miss Shugosha… We have important matters to discuss,” the man says. There’s an intimidating tone in his voice. 

         “Excuse me, but you should address me as ‘Missus,’ not Miss,” Tenshi replies, who is growing nervous. 

         “Hmph, my mistake. Well, allow me to introduce myself… My name… is Seishin!” 

END OF CHAPTER


	11. Journey, Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We’re coming home, at last.

Chapter 11, “Journey, Part Two”

 

         After a few days of travel, we entered the great desert known the “Ocean of Sand.” Its name comes from the size of the desert, which is just as large as an ocean. Unfortunately, it’s the only thing separating us from home. However, we get to ride a dragon every few days!

          We travel not every day, but every other day. Trying by dragonback is overwhelming for the human body. Of course, we also stop to eat and drink. Unlike us, the dragon is capable of surviving for about half a year before even starting to feel hungry. On a side note, our legs would be torn apart if not for our reliable armor as evident by the cloaks that Shinrai and I had brought. So far, we’ve been eating left overs of that other dragon, but we’re running low.

         “Alright!” Lance shouts suddenly. “Let’s go sand-fishing!”

         “Sand fishing? I’ve seen ice fishing before, but this isn’t exactly the North Pole… What the hell-?” My question is interrupted by Hikari.

         “D-do you mean that you’re going to hunt for deathworms?!”

         “Exactly! We could eat bugs, too, but…”

         “Allow me to aid you, please!” I wonder what’s gotten her worked up, but I also don’t want to know at the same time.

         “Yeah, of course! They’re troublesome little creatures… Well, they aren’t exactly _little_ , but you get the idea!”

         “I don’t think it’s a good idea to go _fishing_ in this heat… I’ll pass out for sure…” Fishing, even if it’s not for fish, requires sitting in one place for long periods of time. The sun above us is baking us alive as if we were standing in a continent-sized furnace. It’s well above fifty degrees Celsius.

         “You know magic don’t you? Just use one of your fancy-pants frost spells!”

         “I-I can do that?”

         “You can materialize icicles out of thin air, but you never once thought to cool yourself down?”

         “I’ll try it, but I don’t need your sass, alright?!” I summon snow above me, but it instantly melts into a cool mist. It feels great, like going into the bath after a long and exhausting day.

         “Hey! If you’re going to get comfortable, you might as well let all of us get in on that!” Shinrai complains. What a tsundere… Heh, I got an idea…

         “Good grief… If you’re that desperate, then why don’t you come over here?”

         “Huh?! D-don’t think that I won’t! I’ll do it!”

         “Looks like you’re just standing there to me!”

         “Are you testing me?! That doesn’t seem very noble of you, Prince! But, if you insist that I’m not going to do anything, then I’ll just prove you wrong!” Shinrai approaches me and stands under the mist, which is doesn’t reach any further than a third of a meter away from me. Quickly, her face becomes bright red.

         “What’s the matter with you, huh? Are you gonna pass out or something?”

         “N-no! Don’t misunderstand me! It’s simply the fact that I am a-appreciative that I am able to spend time with a c-celebrity such as yourself so casually!” I’d like to know who the hell came up with the idea of her character. That also applies for Hikari… What sort of weird light novel am I living in, anyway? At least we’re a lively bunch… Then, just as quickly as she steps forward, she steps back. She is now refusing to talk to me. The look on her face screams “I’ll sue you for sexual harassment, idiot!”  

         “You! The Knight! If you want to get comfortable, don’t even bother asking that guy!” Shinrai is now trying to make me look like a tyrant.

         “No, I much prefer this heat!” Hikari shouts.

         “Ugh! The both of you are utterly hopeless!” Shinrai pouts.

         Then, something comes at me from behind and wraps itself around me. It’s… soft? I thought it might’ve been a so-called “death worm” but I can feel that it’s humanoid, and seems to be female…

         “Oh my, oh my! I just can’t decline that offer! After all, it’s easy to get hot and sweaty with this outfit of mine!”

         “Hey! You, get off!” I violently shake myself and spin around, but Red is still latched on.

         “But if I do, I surely will die of heat stroke! What a shame it would be if a pretty face such as myself were to die in a desert!”

         “Pouncing on a married man, you’re totally shameless! Get off!”

         “Oh, but you wouldn’t want the one person who can lift your curse to die, do you?!”

         “Huh? Lance! Is that true?!”

         “Well…” Lance hesitates. “I’m sure we could find someone else along the way, but yeah, Red is able to.”

         “Speaking of Red, I suggest that she removes herself from the Prince,” Blue suddenly speaks.

         “Fine, fine! But you know how I am!”

         “Unnecessarily lustful?” Blue’s sarcasm doesn’t event sound like sarcasm.

         “There’s no need to play stupid, Blue! It’s in my nature! After all, my Spirit is the wings of a Succubus!”

         “Succubus?! You’ll make me look like a two-timer! Come on, get off!”

         “Yes, Succubus! If I weren’t made the way I am, I’d probably have an Angel’s wings, but my emotions always get the best of me!” Spirits are embodiments of the essence of our souls and our past lives. If Red has the wings of a Succubus, then it’s not a good idea to keep Red around for Tenshi’s sake… Tenshi seems to a valid candidate of the “Angel’s wings,” at least in my opinion. Wait, does this mean that Spirits aren’t unique to one person?

         “Hey, Red… Is it possible for multiple people to have the same Spirit?” Red finally lowers herself, creating relief in my back.

         “Common magic users can have very similar Spirits… However, important individuals tend to have unique Spirits.”

         “Could you give me an example?”

         “The Precursor, John Titor, was rumored to have an ability called ‘Time-Leap.’ There’s also yours, which manifests physically as a sword.”

         “Why do I keep hearing about this ‘John Titor?!’ It was a hoax! Nothing was ever found!” His time machine was said to be able to fit in a car, which was never found, and he made numerous predictions that never came true.

         “Well, you didn’t believe magic to be real, did you? You’d have to be a cave dweller to believe such a thing!”

         “Yeah, yeah, I’m uncultured and uneducated, got it! Could you tell me more about _your_ spirit?”

         “My spirit is the the Wings of the Succubi! Usually, it can change into Wings of the Angels depending on stress or emotions, but because I’m an artificial being, it simply won’t! Say, you don't mind if I relieve some of my energy with you, do you?” She’s almost singing again.

         “Please do not pay Red any attention. She has the potential to be a homewrecker,” Blue interrupts.

         “Right…”

         Lance and Hikari proceed to go “sand-fishing.” The process involves sticking a large beetle-like insect, which is native to this area, and impaling it on the end of Lance’s spear. Then, the spear in stuck into the ground. Apparently, deathworms are good at sensing prey, so it’ll only be a matter of time before they catch something. The beetle creatures are nearly as big as my hands, so I don’t even want to see what these deathworms look like. They _are_ called, deathworms, after all.

         The sand blows gently across the dunes, but the breeze that blows it is warm and uncomfortable. Fortunately, I’m able to summon my mist, which should be snow. I swear that I can hear a faint rumbling, like there’s some sort of vibrations in the ground, but it’s so hot that I believe my body isn’t functioning properly. Waves of heat are visible among the horizon, distorting the sky behind it. The air is dry and might ignite a nose bleed. There are no clouds in the sky, but there are birds that seem to resemble vultures. I can feel the sand underneath my armor. By now, it’s gotten everywhere and it’s irritating.

         I wonder what Tenshi’s up to right now… Is she alright? Does she know I’m safe? Maybe she making Fu practice tricks like she has been over the past year. Maybe she’s just staring at the sky out of a window. Maybe she’s… crap, I didn’t assign guards or anything, did I?! Well, at least that old man from the Guild knows I’m out here. He’d know to keep an eye on things. If not, there’s a high chance that she’s vulnerable to an attack from Seishin. Dammit, I… Does he even know where we live? He couldn’t possibly know. Why am I so worried, anyway? Oh, right, this is… love… I want to protect her no matter what, even if it costs me my own life. Of course, if such a circumstance occurred, she wouldn’t want that, for me to die on her. After all, that is one of her fears.

         Seishin can manipulate memories, can’t he? If he were to do something to Tenshi, if he were to erase her memories of me… Well, I’d get payback on that son of a bitch even if it kills me, and then Tenshi will never even have known that I was ever with her. Yes, that’ll be my contingency plan. I’ll die for Tenshi without her knowing I even did so. I hope nothing of that sort really happens… I mean, I’d gladly die for Tenshi’s sake, but I don’t really want to die.

         Contingency Plan B: What if he attacked her directly and killed her? The thought almost makes my heart stop, but I must consider it as a possibility. Under such a circumstance I would… Do I even have any authority if Tenshi and I were forced to separate? Well, I’m sure that if she were attacked, I could summon the King’s army along with the Guild again. To kill off the King’s only daughter surely has severe consequences. In that scenario, if I were to lose my authority, I’d be left with nothing. I’d gladly die in the battle, and make up for my mistake last year. Not even Tenshi could stop me, then.

         “Hello? Are you awake?” Someone speaks into my ear. What if I were to die without Tenshi knowing? I couldn’t really plan for being dead! What would Tenshi do? Seishin’s words come to mind. “I bet she’d just kill herself for, the misery!” Dammit, I can’t let him do that. I don’t want to see her upset again, not ever. I’m sure she thinks the same of me.

         “I’m just gonna kill him,” I whisper. I find myself to be gritting my teeth together. I guess instead of crying, I’ve picked this up as a habit.

         “I would like to know who you are talking to,” someone speaks again. “It appears he is unresponsive. Allow me to perform a simple remedy.” Suddenly, I get punched in the guts. Of course, it didn’t pass the shielding membrane from my enchantments, but there’s still plenty of momentum going through. The blow causes me to stumble and fall.

         “Blue?! What the hell was that for? You couldn’t have at least pinched me or something?!”

         “Indeed, I tried that, but-“

         “My, oh my! Would you look at that! That virgin prince looks quite vulnerable on the ground, there! Perhaps if I were to relieve my succubus energy-!”

         “Red, please have some shame for yourself. You act less and less like a woman each time you speak.”

         “I could try to restrain myself, but such a fine specimen is a rare find!” The two are arguing again. Red is emoting with lots of energy, and Blue is staring at her with a deathly glare. Lance and Hikari are watching from a distance, still waiting for something to bite. I can tell Hikari is envying Red’s position while Lance forces a smile. Shinrai is facing away from us with her arms crossed and occasionally turning her head towards us before looking back.

         “Good grief,” I sigh. “I’m not even _that_ good looking! You’re just after my genetics, aren’t you?!”

         “See? We even think on the same wavelength! It’s DE-STI-NY!” Red strikes a strange pose as if she were on the stage of some equally strange play. I’m starting to think that she’s a little delusional…

         “Yeah, yeah…” I stand up. “Are you forgetting about how I’m married? Again?”

         “Hmm… Could you give me a description of your beloved wife?” She isn’t going to try to mimic Tenshi, is she…? Well, whatever…

         “Let’s see… Tenshi’s really cute, there’s a very ‘magical’ aura around her. She acts a little childish, but I’m pretty sure she’s a lot smarter than I am… She’s always helping others… There’s a lot I could say.”

         “What about magic? Is she a magic user?”

         “Yeah, she’s a healer. Actually, she would-.”

         “Yes! I have made my evaluation! Your Tenshi is, without a doubt, an angel type!”

         “You mean her Spirit? I actually haven’t seen it yet.”

         “That’s right! She always seems like the type to hide things from you. Concealing feelings for long enough can… change angel types temporarily.” Oh, right Red mentioned that certain emotions can change angels types into… Succubi?! My wholesome and innocent Tenshi could turn into a succubus?! No, that doesn’t sound right. Tenshi wouldn’t have _those_ feelings, would she? We sleep in the same bed every night, so I’m sure she would have done something by now if she felt that way.

         “If you’re trying to tell me that she’s gonna start acting like you, even temporarily, then I’ll tell you now that it’s not gonna happen…”

         “Right now, you’re thinking that just because you sleep together every night, she’d have done something by now. That’s exactly what would be stressing her! She’s waiting for you!” Huh? How did she guess that?! Well, this entire topic has me all flustered, so I think it’s time to talk about something else. Before I get the chance to, Blue does it for me.

         “Red, you are currently digging into private business. If you continue any further, I won’t hesitate to exercise the use of force.”

         “But, Blue! I’m merely trying to make him see the full potential of husband-wife relationships so that he may please his wife when he returns!” Uh, why are we still talking about this?!

         “What you said was a blatant lie. You just want the Precursor all for yourself. Please restrain yourself from him.” The two continue to argue. Red claims that she’s trying to aid the development of my relationship with Tenshi, and Blue argues that she’s actually just acting for herself. Precursor _this,_ Precursor _that_! I just wish I knew everything about what happened to me. I try to look at the dragon, which is the only reasonable “person” with us, but he looks at me with an empathetic face. Damn, even this dragon feels bad for me!

         Then, there’s a loud rumbling noise coming from the ground. The sand is jumping up and down, too. What is this, an earthquake? Are there deathworms underneath us? I don’t think deathworms could be large enough to make the entire area shake, even if there’s lots of them. Lance and the others, even the dragon, look just as confused as I am. Something unnatural is occuring. I feel like I’ve experienced this before…

         “This isn’t some deathworm… Everyone, get over here!” Lance shouts. Immediately, we form a line next to him. Going from left to right, it’s the dragon, Lance, Red, Blue, Hikari, Shinrai, and finally, me. Sand falls into a large pit in front of us, followed by a loud humming noise. The sound resembles that of construction vehicles, but more intense. There’s something large coming from beneath us, rising from the seemingly endless abyss in front of us.

         “Prince Shugosha, this is…” Shinrai attempts to speak, but finds herself to be in awe of the sight. The great bird-like machine rises. In certain spots, including its eyes, it glows bright blue. The sound of moving metal overwhelms our ears as it unfurls its “wings.” Sand falls from it, revealing an aged machine. It stands as tall as a skyscraper, maybe even taller. This entire scene, even this exact location, seems all too familiar.

         “Huh, well ain’t that quite the sight…” Lance sticks his spear into the ground. The machine dwarves even the dragon.

         “I see that you’ve finally traveled here on your own, Webster…” The machine’s voice echoes. I know this machine, it’s the Primordial… “I suppose that if you’ve made it this far, I should unlock the remainder of your memories… After all, they may prove useful to your future endeavors…”

          “Huh? Then why lock my memories in the first place?” I’m already somewhat familiar with him, but the others are speechless.

         “I needed you to learn about this world and how it works. I didn’t intend to put you in harm’s way, but it appears you’ve found yourself in it already.”

         “This world…?”  

         “This world is the fourth one to exist. Each world is known as a ‘Singularity,’ a single point which holds infinite data. Each new world has infinite potential, but yet, they have all been destroyed. Your purpose is to prevent it from happening this time. I wish to see a world that does not collapse because of its own people. It’s a twisted, ironic fate.”

         “I… I’m not sure if I’m ready to have my memories back. I’m happy as I am, now. If I get them back, I might… My personality might change.”

         “I’m sorry, but your purpose is not to build relationships here. You must save this world.”

         “You say that… like you’re going to send me home when I’m done. You wouldn’t, would you? I’m happier here.” The machine is silent. This, in itself, proves me to be right. He’s going to send me home after I kill Seishin and whatever else might seem like a threat. “So… I got married to a princess, and we’ve spent time together, all so that you could send me home at the end of the day?!” I grit my teeth. Shinrai, Hikari, and Red look at me with some empathy.

         “It’s simply the way things must be,” he replies. How dare he say that? How dare he say that my relationship with Tenshi, to everyone here, was for nothing? Doesn’t he know that if I disappear, Tenshi would be miserable? What would happen if the King’s only daughter were to die?! If he wants me to save the world, then why does he not care about putting the kingdom in danger?! Dammit!

         “I am sorry, despite how it may seem to you. I will send you home, but it’s up to the gods if you will stay there.” Clearly, he’s saying that just to get my hopes up, just to sway me. I’m tired of being played like this! Why am I always the fool?! What did I ever do to anyone else to deserve this?! Why… can I remember this?

         “You must realize now that your memories are returning to you. Please excuse me for anything painful that may come back to you.”

          Then, I see everything. It’s like somebody’s life is being displayed in front of my own eyes. I remember my daily life. Socially, I was never an interesting person. Usually, I’d just be sitting around burning time on social media or watching television shows (including anime). When I grew tired of that, I would turn on a gaming console and find something to play, usually by myself. I’d go outside on few occasions. I had some close friends, but still very few. One of which, was a girl who I had romantic feelings for. I’m pretty sure she shared those feelings with me, too.

         I remember what I thought my future would be like. I was getting ready for college, so I got a job and started saving money. I grades throughout high school were all slightly above average, so I believed that I could get in with relative ease. I’m pretty good at academic things, so I wanted to major in English. I was also going to confess to that girl, too. I’ve made a couple confessions to other girls in the past, too, but I’ve never been successful and it’s not hard to see why. It’s been well over a year since I disappeared, so she’s probably hooked up with someone else…

         I also remember my past… I was always an easy target for bullying. I was never into whatever was trending, but I was dedicated to my class work. Due to this, I was an above average student, but I was always a little disconnected from everyone else. There were some people who I could get along with, but my friendships weren’t as close as everyone else’s were. Of course, there were some who claimed to be my friend, but failed to do so while I wasn’t present. This happened more than once, so I grew tired of it. This led to me becoming somewhat of what Japanese people call, a “Hikikomori.” A hikikomori is a person who shuts themselves in their room and never comes out. It English, “hermit” would be a proper term to label me as. I would try to avoid people as much as possible to prevent myself from embarrassing myself. I never knew what my friends thought of me because I started to avoid them, too. All that I could care about was my shows, games, and work.

         There’s also the events of the day before my disappearance, and my sudden appearance on this world. That was when Tenshi found me injured beside the road and took me in. If not for that, I never would’ve met and fallen in love with her. I wouldn’t trade her for anyone else, not even that girl I was going to confess to. What I didn’t know at the time, however, was how that injury was inflicted. I was shot by a terrorist who was associated with the Global Unification Society. Their goal was the unite all of the world’s powers and create eternal peace. Based on my shows, a world like that is bound to oppress its people. The reason for their appearance on that day was the presence of a time machine, which was apparently not meant for humans to create.  My father tried to send me back in time to prevent the conflict, but I was brought here instead. He was shot in the process and probably died… I wonder if it would’ve worked. Oh, so that box that I had with me was that time capsule.

         Slowly, I begin to return to the current world. “I’ve also restored your phone for you, which has been broken. Of course you will be unable to find an internet connection. Recharge it with magic when necessary.”  

         “I… remember…”

         “What did you say, Prince Shugosha? Shinrai is carefully observing me to ensure that my mind is intact.

         “I remember everything! My identity, how I got here… just… everything!” I’m in a mixed state of shock, sadness, and relief. “I have to get back to Tenshi, I have to tell her!”

         “Good. It appears my role has been fulfilled for now. We shall not speak again unless you come back to this spot. Farewell, Webster. I wish you luck.” The Primordial begins sink back into the ground.

         “No, come back! Come back!” I shout, but he continues to sink into the ground. Eventually, the sand covers the pit.

         “Dammit, I’m just his tool! That’s why he told me to ‘find the right path!’ He can’t afford me not doing what I’m meant to do! Screw that! Guys, we’re going home! I’m done with this!” Suddenly, I’m in a frenzy to get home as fast as possible. I cannot believe that I finally meet this thing in person, and he reveals to me that I’m just some tool.

         “Prince Shugosha! We haven’t even eaten yet, are you stupid?! We’ll starve out here!”

         “Quit being spoiled! All of you can live for about a week without food! You’ll be fine! From now on, we’re taking no breaks! We stop only to eat and sleep, got it?”

         “We’re in a _desert_ , are you kidding?!”

         “The Princess’... Tenshi’s life is in danger! This is our priority!” Something suddenly strikes my face, Shinrai’s right hand. She then immediately turns around and talks to me over her shoulder.

         “That’s awfully selfish of you to want to see Tenshi! Do you have any consideration for what _she_ wants?! Wouldn’t she want you to return safe and sound, and not half starved to death and sleep deprived?!”

         “I… I’m sorry. That Primordial just really pissed me off…”

         “By the gods!” Shinrai is now talking to herself and refuses to face me. Of course…  “I just slapped the Prince! What do I do… What do I do…?!” Ultimately, we didn’t rush our journey like I wanted us to.

         The rest of the trip took almost two weeks. In the desert, we primarily ate deathworms, which are, on average, about a third of a meter in diameter and five meters in length. They’re scary as hell with razor-sharp teeth and could kill any of us by borrowing directly beneath us and snatching our feet. For water, we relied on Lance’s spell to gather moisture from the air. Because of our location, it was extremely difficult to accumulate enough water for all of us. The cloaks that Shinrai and I brought were ultimately useless and just made us sweat a lot more, so we discarded them. Lance, Red, and Blue are still traveling with us for unknown reasons, but we appreciate it. The entire time, I was pestered about how well acquainted I am with the Primordial, who is made up of Precursor technology. We were only a couple days of travel away from home when…

         “Dragon!” A guard shouts from below us. “Archers, get in formation!” Soldiers from the small city below us congregate into a large square. Together, they all nock their their arrows to their bows and prepare to fire. For some reason, our dragon is flying in circles, probably looking for food, and won’t go elsewhere.

         “No, don’t shoot!” I try to shout at them, but they don’t hear a thing. I didn’t think I would die by crashing on a dragon…

         “Fire!” All of the soldiers release their arrows not directly at the dragon, but in front of it so that the arrows would it it. A single arrow is nothing to a dragon, but hundreds of them all at once is a big problem…

         As the dragon flies, the arrows begin to strike and impale its ventral side. They don’t kill him, but the injuries are enough to cause him to descend with some turbulence. “Hang on tight, everyone!” Lance shouts, confident that we’ll survive. The rest of us are screaming in terror. We’re not exactly falling, but we’re not exactly gliding, either.

         I don’t even remember the crash. I think the impact threw me, as well as everyone else, off the dragon’s back and onto the ground. The terror must’ve thrown me into a state of shock, too. I hope everyone survived. But now is not the time to sit around doing nothing, Tenshi is in danger…

         “By the gods! It’s the Prince!” Someone is shouting from above me. I try to see who it is, but my eye lids are heavy.

         “H… Help…” I try to talk, but I’m too weak. Eventually, I begin to cough up blood. Why do I always get injured like this?! Who wrote this?!

         “Get him a healer! Take the others, too! We can’t let him die!” I feel someone pick me up and carry me. Whoever it is must be in a hurry. Where are we going?

          _Boom!_ A door is slammed open. There’s a strange scent in the air, some sort of incense. The air is also warm, like there’s a fire nearby. In fact, I can hear the cracking from here. The man lowers me onto a cot or some sort of bench. “This guy’s looking rough! Please, treat him!”

         “Alright, alright… You know I would never deny anyone in need of service.” There’s another voice. It’s, without a doubt, feminine. There’s a soothing tone in her voice. It’s like that if an angel.

         “Come on, let’s get you healed up…” I feel gentle hands pick me up, and I lose consciousness again.

         I wake up on a bed. It’s not like the one at home, but it’s very similar. The room I’m in resembles a bedroom. The walls and carpet are crimson in color. The curtains that cover the windows are also red, which cause the room to glow. On the other end of the bed is a woman, who looks oddly familiar. She has silver hair, and blue eyes. She’s wearing a white, expensive looking dress.

         “Tenshi? How did you…” I begin to speak, but I get interrupted by the woman in front of me.

         “Tenshi? I’m sorry, I’m afraid I’m not who you’re mistaking me for.” Her voice is very motherly. If this isn’t Tenshi, then who is it?! She looks exactly like her, but older. “Say, is this ‘Tenshi’ important to you?” My instincts say I can trust her, but I don’t know why.

         “Yeah, she’s… my wife.” It’s still just a little embarrassing to say in front of others.

          “Ah, so you must be the Prince!. What did you think you would accomplish by mounting a dragon and flying above a populated city? Never mind that, why are you out here?”

          “About that…” Should I tell her about Seishin? I don’t want this town to get involved. If Ketsueki could clear an entire village, what can Seishin do to a city? “Well, it’s complicated. I have to get back home as soon as possible.”

         “And what of Tenshi? Was she with you?!” The woman suddenly becomes alert.

         “No, she’s back at home… Why do you ask?”

         “Well…” She inhales, then exhales, and calms down. “Would it explain much if I stated that I am currently your mother-in-law?”

         “Huh…? Huh?! _You’re_ Missus Shugosha?! I thought you were…” I can’t force myself to say that I believed Tenshi’s mother was dead. It wasn’t uncommon for women to die after labor.

         “No, no, no! Missus Shugosha is your wife! You shall call me ‘Mom!’” I recall Tenshi saying something similar when I addressed her as “Princess.” I can see where Tenshi’s looks and personality come from, and it’s almost scary. Even her sense of fashion is the same…

         “Well, uh…, Mom, why am I here? Actually, why are _you_ here?”  

         “I am to stay here for complex political reasons that I don’t feel like explaining… Not that you don’t have the right to know, but it is very tiring to explain. As for you, you fell from the sky and nearly died! Do you know how upset Tenshi would be if you died?!”

         “I’m sorry that my dragon was shot down by soldiers!”

         “Yes, it _is_ your fault for allowing it to circle around a highly populated city! What a dangerous stunt!” Oh boy… This really _is_ Tenshi’s mother. I guess she’s my mom, too, now. “Now that you’re legally my son-in-law, I ought to punish you!”

         “No, please don’t!”

         “Hmm… I suppose I can let you off with only a warning. After all, it’s our first time meeting.”

         “Good grief… Well, I should be leaving now.”

         “My, my… You’re just as dense as a Tenshi claims you are! You were the most injured out of all your friends, you need at least a day of rest!”

         “The most injured?”

         “Broken ribs, organ damage, a broken arm, innumerable scrapes… You’re lucky that I’m a healer!”

         “This is about the third time I’ve been significantly injured… I need a break…”

         “Say, while you here…” Suddenly, she becomes excited and full of energy. I’m convinced that Tenshi was a genetic clone of those woman. “Have you and Tenshi done it yet?!”

         “Done what?” I ask. She hasn’t specified an activity, but my immature mind forces me to believe that she’s talking about our bed life. Of course, such a person of authority and age couldn’t possibly ask about such a thing.

         “What else could I be asking about? I’m talking about _it._ Have you two done _it_ yet?”

         “Wh-what?! You’re talking about _that_?! You’re her own mother, and you’re asking me about that?!”

         “Tsk, tsk, tsk! I’m your mom, too! Anyway, answer the question!” Why is she so insistent that I answer?

         “Ugh… Fine… No, we haven’t. I’m not gonna force it upon her, either.” She’s about to give me hell for not making a move, isn’t she?

         “Huh? You mean, you’ve been married for just about a year, and you’ve done nothing but the basic hugs and kisses?! You’re the male, you’re supposed to take the first step!”

         “Sorry, but she… doesn’t seem interested. Can we talk about something else?”

         “Certainly not! In fact, I was just like her at your age!” Yeah, that’s… obvious. “During my youth, I waited so long that I couldn’t bear it any more! That was when my lost control of my Spirit and…”

         “Yeah! I understand, got it! I already know about the Wings of the Succubi!”

         “Hold on, you haven’t seen her Spirit yet?!”

         “No, why?”

         “Tenshi doesn’t have some third or second rate Spirit. It’s above the Wings of the Angels, it’s the Guardian Angel!”

         “Guardian Angel? So, what would happen if she were to lose control?” As I’ve been told, the Wings of the Angel changes into the Wings of the Succubi when control is lost over certain emotions.

         “I’m not certain. Guardian Angel is significantly more powerful than the Wings of the Angels, not to mention that it seems to be a _unique_ Spirit. Losing control would mean… Well, I suppose it would be a fun time for _you_.” Fun time? I’m not sure if I’m mentally prepared to see Tenshi in such a state, even if it’s just hypothetical. Besides that, it’s bizarre that both Tenshi and I have unique Spirits. I’m just some boring guy who was made a Prince through marriage, I don’t believe I have the potential to be the center of some historical event. And Tenshi, she’s just an innocent Princess who needs protecting. I guess I was summoned here through unordinary means, so that may play a part of this. Wait! Do I just have some pseudo-Spirit given to me by the Primordial?!

         “Is it possible… to give someone a Spirit?”

         “You mean, to construct a new Spirit and just have it given away? No, it’s not possible! However, it _is_ possible to increase someone’s Spirit power enough to summon their Spirit. It’s typically used for non-mages.” So, my Spirit is the real thing? The Primordial could’ve just increased by Spirit value and I could’ve had a third rate Spirit. He did mention that I was a suitable candidate of being the savior of this world, so maybe it can’t just be anyone. So, I really was someone special without realizing it for years, huh…?

         I miss Home… Not even my house, or my friends. I mean, my _real_ home, with Tenshi and Fu. I’d love to go back and enjoy that time we spent, with just Hikari, Konton, Tenshi, and I, but Konton has been slaughtered by my own hands… Together, we all had a fun time, but now everything is getting darker and darker. It’s like going into a cave where sunlight illuminates the entrance, but the back is a dark is a black abyss. I could just summon her, but… Wait, I should do that. I remove my right bracer.

         “Konton, I summon thee!” The flame-shaped scar illuminates with purple light, but nothing happens. “Dark Flame, I summon thee!” I attempt to summon her again, but I get the same result.

         “Looks like you have a nasty curse on you. I hope you have someone to lift it.”

         “Yeah, she’s with us.”

         “Beware,” Mom warns, “the process is very intimate and will be scandalous if you’re seen doing it. Tenshi will likely give you some words, too.”

         “Right…” Wait, “Intimate?!”

         “Yes. Curses are usually lifted by sucking it out. The easiest point would be from the finger.” Of course, the only one capable in our group is Red, the Succubus! The thought of Tenshi doing such a thing makes me a little uncomfortable. Well, it’s a good thing it’s Red because there’s no way in hell I’d like Lance do it!

         After a while, the others came in to visit. Shinrai and Red were to first to come in, both seemingly in a hurry. Hikari, Lance, and Blue follow them. If I’m right, Shinrai’s going to go off about how she’s not actually worried about me…

         “...but don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I’m worried about _you_ or anything! It’s only that there would be a crisis if you died!” Of course, it’s a classic tsundere line. Why am I bound to this awful harem! Let me be in peace with Tenshi! I’m a married man!

         “Looks like you’ve lots of girls around you. You wouldn’t happen to be having an affair with any of them?” I _cannot believe_ that Mom has the guts to ask that to her own son-in-law! I guess she _is_ fun to talk to, just like Tenshi.

          “I’m married, thank you very much! These girls are just friends! Don’t even go thinking anything about Lance!”

          “Friends, huh? Please explain your relationship with Red!” I don’t think I can keep up with Mom’s hyper attitude much longer. I hope Tenshi doesn’t grow up like this…

         “She has Wings of the Succubi! She can’t help it!”

         “Oh? But she does seem awfully affectionate of _you!”_

“Please stop talking!”

         The chaos continues for about an hour. Afterward, we began to talk about our trip home. Apparently, I had been unconscious for about two days and was kept under close observation. Now we have to wait until tomorrow so that I can recover. Mom stated that she arranged a carriage for us to return to Tenshi’s mansion. The trip should take about a week of travel. By the time we get back, almost a month would have passed since I left.

         The next day approached faster than I thought it would. I wasn’t very surprised to find that I was still slightly sore while everyone else was just fine. For breakfast, I had a meal that wasn’t all that different from what Tenshi would prepare for me. It felt nostalgic, and refreshing from deathworm and dragon meat. When we approached the carriage, a certain someone decided to come with us.

         “Mom?! Didn’t you say you were stuck here for political reasons?!

         “I am certainly not stuck here! I have the freedom to visit my own daughter if I wish to! Besides, someone needs to teach you some discipline!”

         “Fine, fine… I don’t have a problem with you visiting us, but it’ll be awkward if we… you know.”

         “Your Majesty! Thank you for joining us!” Hikari seems like a formal soldier, and not a shameless masochist in this instance.

         “Oh, it’s no problem at all! In fact, I’d like to thank _you_ for protecting both my daughter and my son-in-law!” Hikari?! Protecting us?! When did that happened?! It’s been the opposite for as long as I can remember!

         All seven of us board the carriage. The dragon was also healed and will be following us from above. The town wanted to eat it, but it’s very difficult to tame a dragon so it would be a waste. All of us, and the men steering the carriage, continue our journey home. I think I’ll get carriage-sick he we sit here for too long…

 

         It’s now been a week since the carriage left. The entire time, I was pestered by Mom in an attempt to bond with me. She’s not annoying, but she does keep trying to pry into our private business and stating how we can improve our relationship. “Be more physical with her,” she suggests. “You’re not as assertive as you should be!” she complains. It was extremely difficult for the others to get involved in our conversations. Also, I noticed that Shinrai and Red were looking nervous and fidgeting. God, please break apart this harem! I beg you!

         When we weren’t talking about private affairs and relationship advice, we discussed my memories of the old world. I talked to them about the state of technology, hoe much advanced it was, and how magic makes most of it pointless. They seemed to be interested in guns, which I described to be like “handhelds cannons.” In fact, there _is_  a type of gun called a Handcannon. I mentioned that it would be very useful to have one, and Mom mentioned that she could have something arranged. I don’t know everything about how guns work, so making one would require a lot of research. Then again, it’s not like they’d be starting from scratch, I could give them a few leads such as how spinning bullets are more accurate.

         Finally, we arrive at the mansion. There’s a strange, lonely aura around it, but I also feel a rush of nostalgia. There’s something missing, but I know that thing is me. My presence is what drives Tenshi’s happiness. I’m finally home, Tenshi. I’ll never leave you again. Never… Before I jump out of the carriage, Lance stops me.

         “Hey, you! Take this!” He tossss something dark and color, resembling an animal’s horn.

         “What is this?” I ask, carefully observing the horn.

         “It’s a dragon’s horn! It’s considered a good luck charm, and it’s quite rare considering the strength of dragons!”

         “Oh, thanks! I’m sure Tenshi will love it!”

         “Now go in there and announce your return!” Lance pushes me out of the carriage, but I stick the landing. I immediately dart towards the front gate and open it. It’s been a long three weeks, but I’ve made it. I may have not completed my task, but at least I’m home. There doesn’t seem to be any damage to the house, so Tenshi must be fine. I open the door, and see her.

        “Tenshi! I’m back! I’m sorry I left you!” The tears begin to form, but this time I’m ready to let them run instead of hiding them. I’d gladly let Tenshi see me crying.

         “Who… are you?” She asks, the words strike my heart. There’s an angry look on her face. There’s no way she could just forget about me, even if it has been almost a month.

         “It’s me, Webster! Or, I guess you’d know me as ‘Xeno.’ Now that I’m back, I won’t leave you ever again!” I run up to her and give her a big hug, but she pushes me away with force.

         “X-Xeno? N… No..! No! Get away, get away!” Her expression changes from anger to shock.

         “W-what? What… did I do?” At any moment, my heart could explode.

         “Y-You’re a murderer! P-please, don’t kill me!” There’s genuine fear on her face. She’s backing up into a corner. “Don’t kill me!” She screams, terrified.

         “M-murder? I’m a murderer, huh…?” I then hold back all of my tears. I grit my teeth as hard as possible. She doesn’t even know me anymore. I drop the Dragon’s Horn on the ground. It looks like this thing is useless. “I… I can’t believe… that you’d betray me like this. I… failed.”

          “What? What are you talking about?!” Tenshi takes advantage of my weak state.

          “I told you… I failed! I failed you! Did you hear me?! I’m useless garbage that never belonged in this world! I’m done with it!” I let out all of my anger and anxieties. I can’t control myself anymore. It’s time for Contingeny Plan A.


	12. Defiance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonds between individuals cannot be broken so easily. And what is already broken may be mended.

Chapter 12, “Defiance”

 

         Xeno, the murderer, had suddenly turned around and made a spring for the exist. He seemed bothered by something, but didn’t let a single tear flow. Tenshi is now relieved that she wasn’t just killed, and takes a moment to ensure that she’s safe. She carefully observed her environment, but notices something odd. What’s this, she thought to herself.

         There’s an object on the ground. It’s dark, almost black, in color, and is hard as rock. It’s shape resembles some sort of horn. “This horn… No doubt, it’s a Dragon’s Horn,” she thought. A valuable good luck charm.Why did he have this? Did he wish success upon the assassination attempt? No, that’s not it. It seemed almost as if it was meant to be a gift to her. If it were for himself, he would not have dropped such a valuable item. Perhaps it was a mistake that he dropped it.

          Something else is bothering Tenshi. Xeno’s words echo in her mind, “ _I failed you!_ ” Who was he talking about? He seemed to be talking directly to Tenshi, but he was a murderer, not a servant of royalty. Perhaps me was talking to a higher-up, or maybe he’s just delusional. But who could’ve betrayed him? What could’ve stopped him from killing her? These things just aren’t making sense to her.

          Tenshi is able to see a tall woman in a dress. Her hair is silver, her eyes a sky blue, and she wears a fashionable dress. Without a doubt, it’s…

         “Mother!” Tenshi runs up to her and embraces her. She is still frightened from the attack. Also, it’s been a long time since they’ve seen each other, so it’s a relief.

         “What’s wrong? You look like you were just attacked by a thug!”

         “But that’s exactly what happened!”

         “What?! Who did it, did you see them?!” Her mother seems confused. She was in such a close proximity that she should’ve seen him take off, but she seems clueless.

         “It was Xeno, the murderer! He was just here!”

         “Xeno?! What do you mean?! He tried to attack you?!”

         “N-no, he ran away, but he’s dangerous!” Suddenly, her mother grabs Tenshi by the shoulders and faces her.

         “Tenshi! Webster Shugosha is… your husband!”

         “W-what?! I’m married to that man?!”

         “Do you not remember your wedding?!” Tenshi’s mother begins to cry, likely because she can see that something terrible has happened to her daughter. There’s nothing that Xeno could have done to make Tenshi hate him, so there is some outside factor.

          “So… you’re saying that those dreams… were real?!”

          “Dreams?! Who told you that these memories were dreams? Who told you that Webster is a murderer?!”

         “S-Seishin! He came by about a month ago to warn me that Xeno was after me!”

         “Seishin?! Tenshi… That man is our enemy! He tried to kill Webster!”

         “So, I just casted him out?! I casted out Xeno … My… Xeno…” Tenshi remembers her feelings for him. He’s a man who hides his anxieties, and he could never harm an innocent soul if he could help it. That’s why she fell for him, she wanted to help him. After all, he was her first real friend. She remembers that Konton was killed in an accident, not murdered. Tenshi comes to the conclusion that Seishin manipulated her memories with magic and fed her with lies. “No… No…!” Tenshi cries.

          Tenshi has just forgotten about her beloved Xeno, and instead believed him to be a lowly thug. She had betrayed him, she thought. Tenshi was sure that these memories were merely dreams, and she assured herself for nearly a month, but instead she found out that they were truths. That good luck charm was likely meant to be a gift for her, after all. This action should be unforgivable, and she would understand if Xeno was angry and wanted to separate.

         What would Xeno think? What would he do if Seishin were to wipe her memories? Tenshi is good at reading people, and predicting their actions, so she thought of what he would do. She figured that Xeno would attempt to bring justice to the evildoer, no matter the cost. Naturally, this included his own life. However, Tenshi won’t allow him to take such a drastic action.

         “Xeno! You have to stop Xeno! He’s going to get himself killed!” She cries even more. “I don’t want him to die for me! He doesn’t deserve that! Please, stop him!

         “Don’t worry, Tenshi…” her mother speaks softly. “The others are following him. They’ll catch him eventually. He’s weak on his own, so he won’t make it very far,” she jokes. Tenshi knew this to be true, and she found herself giggling a little.

         “Yes, you’re right…” Tenshi seems to be calming down. “I’ll give him a good lecturer, too. So find him for me, okay?”

         “Yes, Tenshi… We will, we will…”

 

         Outside, the others were tracking the Prince, who has sprinted off to somewhere unknown. Because of the side of him that cares deeply for Tenshi, he would gladly die if it meant saving her. However, that would create much political conflict. In that event, it is likely that Tenshi would be married off to a prince of a neighboring country, which is the opposite of what she wants. The only man she’ll happily be married to is her beloved prince, Xeno.

         The others are having some difficulty tracking him because he’s now beyond their sights. He could’ve either gone to the city or started going towards the dungeon, where Seishin resides. Now that Ketsueki is in his hands, that trip would be even more dangerous. It’s also possible that the Prince used his Spirit to speed himself up. However, one idea comes to Shinrai’s mind.

         “The dragon! We should get on the dragon and get a sight on him!”

         “Now someone’s using their brain! Blue, get that dragon down here!” Lance commands.

         “Understood!” She signals the dragon to land, despite the great distance between the two. When the dragon finally lands, the group of five, consisting of Shinrai, Red, Blue, Red, and Hikari, all board the dragon once more.

         “Towards the city! He couldn’t have gotten far,” Shinrai shouts. The dragon takes off, all of them are now used to this process, and they fly towards the city. Hopefully, the Prince hasn’t done anything reckless yet. Somehow, they had to convince him that Tenshi was alright.  

         At such a high altitude, the air is incredibly cold. They fly just below the clouds they hover in the blue sky. It’s hard to point out a single person from this view, so everyone has their attention in the ground. The dragon, however, has a keen sense of smell. It sniffs the air as they pass through the air. Eventually, it begins to descend.

         “He’s in the city,” Lance exclaims. They safetly land outside of the city and dismount the dragon. Now is only a mater of which building he’s in. There’s not a lot of places he could go, Hikari thinks to herself.

         “The Guild! Webster must be in the Adventuring Guild,” Hikari suggests. The five of them split up and investigate each different path to the Guild. By the time they meet in front of the Guild, the door is wide open and someone is shouting inside. It sounds almost as if they’re planning a raid.

          “I told you… The Princess forgot who I am! I’m nothing to her, anymore! It’s because of that bastard who tried to take me in!” There’s anger in his voice, an an controllable rage. It’s the voice of a man who’s ready to kill, and be killed. It’s unclear whether it’s courage or recklessness. “Give me a week! I’ll have a weak made, and it’ll be nothing you’ve ever seen before! Precursor technology!”

         “Hey, kiddo,” John speaks. “Don’t you think you’re overreactin’ just a little? I mean, she ain’t dead, and all it takes is us to tell her that you ain’t some thug.”

         “No, if you did that… She would never forgive herself… That guy won’t stop until he breaks me, I’m too much of a threat to him. So, I’ll do the same! I won’t stop until he’s dead!”

         “Prince Shugosha!” Shinrai cries out to him, hoping her voice would reach him. The Prince is the type of boy to form a mental wall around himself. It’s likely that he would refuse to listen to reason unless it was from a specific person. Shinrai found herself crying, as well as Red.

          “If you’re here to stop me, I won’t let you…” There’s a dark expression on his face. Perhaps he is already broken. But Shinrai must not be so pessimistic about her celebrity crush. Shinrai is one of many, a fanatic of the Prince. However, Shinrai was given a gift,  the privileged to actually spend some time with him. There are few who get that honor. There’s the five of them, Tenshi, and his in-law relatives. Commoners don’t often get this chance to get so close to a celebrity, especially royalty, so she must take advantage of that.  

          “Please, listen to us!” The others position themselves beside her.

          “No… You’re only getting in my way. I don’t want to fight all of you, but I will if I must.” He’s pretending to be calm, but he’s in such a sad state that is hard for Shinrai and Red to see. Hikari and Lance also feel this, but not as much as these two girls do. Blue, however, looks agitated. What could possibly bother this girl’s mind? She’s normally void of any emotion.

         “Please, we-!” Shinrai tries to speak again, but is interrupted by Blue.

         “You are so incredibly dense! I cannot believe it! Everything is always about you! You never take a moment to consider what others want, as Shinrai stated!”

          “Shut up…” The Prince mumbles. The pressure being put on his jaw is enough to bite off a finger. He shows no tears, but he is in incredible psychological pain.

         “You don’t even think about what your wife wants,” Blue continues. “Oh course, you’re royalty. It’s typically that you’d only think of yourself. I guess I should say that you _were_ royalty.”

         “Shut up, I said!” He summons his Spirit without even speaking. It glows bright blue, so much that it’s difficult to look at. Such a skill is is diifult to learn, and is only used by first rate mages. Perhaps it was a mistake for Red to lift his Nullify curse during the trip home. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have his Spirit to fight with. Shinrai isn’t good at close-quarters combat, so he won’t be able to fight.

         “Sheesh,” Shinrai finally speaks again. “Maybe you weren’t fit to be royalty. You’re just an amateur, after all.”

         “Shut up, shut up, shut up!” the Prince screams. He charges towards the five of them, but Shinrai backs away. However, she is not fearful of what would happen to her, but what would happen to the Prince. How would Tenshi react to his death? Would she accept it, or would it spark a tragedy?

         Lance tries to use his spear to parry the Prince’s attack. “Go on, attack him!” The others attempt to do so, but the Prince suddenly appears behind Lance and shoved him. How did he get there, they all wondered. They were all looking at him, and they didn’t see him move. Of course, it was his Spirit! After all, it’s called the “Sword of Time!” He is able to manipulate the passage of time merely by willing it. Such an ability creates a nearly unstoppable foe.  

         “Lance!” Shinrai shouts.

         “Don’t worry about me! Just attack him! Knock some sense into him!” Shinrai looks over to see Hikari and the Prince battling with their blades. The Prince is becoming increasingly faster, and it’s difficult for Hikari to keep up. Typically, she would have a masochistic outburst about now, but she is aware of the circumstances. “I can’t… match his speed!” she cries.

         “Hey, all of you!” Shinrai shouts to the rest of the Guild. “Don’t just stand there! Help us!”

          Men and women, all of whom are aligned with the Guild, gather around the Prince. Each of them have their own weapons and spells, confident that they may be able to get a hit on him. Of course, they aim not to injure him, but to knock some sense into his dense brain. There’s almost nothing more dangerous than a man with nothing to lose, so they all must be cautious.

         One after another, they are knocked down. The Prince is careful not to kill anyone, but instead renders them unarmed. However, they won’t allow him to leave. The shaft of axes are snapped, swords are parried and thrown on the ground, and magic is absorbed by his armor’s enchantment. At this rate, everyone will be defeated. Even when multiple individuals charge at him, he uses his Spirit to maneuver around their attacks and defeat his opponents.

         “Weapons? How useless! Let me show them how it should be done,” Red speaks. Using her incredible strength, she kicks the floor and causes the floor to split and creates an opening. Then, she swiftly leaps with her foot in front of her. _Crack!_ Her foot comes in contact with the Prince’s chest. There shouldn’t be any physical damage, but the impact still goes through and causes something to break. The hit also sends him flying into the wall.

         “Dammit,” me mumbles. He tries to use his sword to get up, but he falls over. “Dammit…” The group of five make their way over to him and stand over him. In his state, he won’t be able to land a hit on anyone. He looks up at them, with the look of defeat in his eyes. “I… failed,” he whispers.

         “What are you talking about?” Shinrai asks, crouching down so that their heads are at an equal level. “I-.” He begins to cough blood. Somewhere, there is internal damage. “I failed… I have nothing left… I am not meant for this world, I can’t save it.”

         “Save the world? No one told you to do that. You can live your life in peace,” she says softly.

         “No, you saw it. I was brought here by that Primordial… He’ll just send me home if I decide not to take action.”

         “Even if that were so, you could come back, right?”

         “No, this world and my own are not separated by space, but by time…”

         “You mentioned using a time machine several days ago. Could you use that?”

         “Hah… I’ve thought about that. Even if it were stable, time travel isn’t something that humans should toy with… God put it upon us, and we are in no position to defy him.” He looks up and reaches his hand toward the ceiling, as if he were looking at the sky. It appears as if the gods themselves would descend from the heavens as take his hand at any moment. There’s no telling how badly damaged his organs are, and he could die without healing.

         “No, don’t say that.” Shinrai grabs his hand and lowers it, so that the gods can’t reach for it. “Humans are meant to defy. Why do you think it has happened so much in history?”

         “No matter how much we struggle, we can always fight among ourselves, but we cannot defy our creator…”

         “Forgive me, Prince Shugosha, if I speak against your religion, but who is to say that there are gods in the first place?”

         “Yeah, I understand that… If there were a god, he would not leave me like this… I have nothing left…” His voice is weakening, and he continues to cough more blood. Clearly, he no longer had the will to fight, but he wishes to only see his guardian angel one last time, Tenshi. She had always been there for him during times of struggle. No matter how much pain he was in, she was always there, except for now. Slowly, his strength is weakening and the life in his eyes fades away. The one Shinrai loves, but also the one she could never have for herself, is dying right in front of her.

         “You’re wrong, Prince Shugosha. You-.” Shinrai stops herself for a moment. She wants to try something before he fades away. “Webster, you never lost a single thing. We wanted to tell you, but you wouldn’t listen. What an amateur adventurer…”

         “What do you mean? I lost everything just moments ago… I don’t belong here.”

         “No, you’re wrong! You’re wrong!” A silhouette of a girl appears in the white light coming from the open door. It’s no girl, it’s an angel, the Prince thought to himself. The girl comes in running and kneels beside the dying prince.

         “You have me!” she shouts, with tears flowing down her face. In fact, all of the girls that the Prince associates with all have the endless rivers on their faces. “So even if you aren’t from this world, even if you are a Precursor, don’t say sad things like that! Don’t ever say that you don’t belong here!”

         “Tenshi… How did you even get here?” There’s a weak smile upon his face. He must be treated soon, or else he won’t make it. However, Tenshi is hugging her beloved prince as tight as she possibly can. Oddly, the Prince had used his Spirit to speed himself up, and the five others had ridden on a dragon. How Tenshi arrived is a mystery, but that doesn’t matter.

         “Don’t worry, I’m here now. That’s all that matters… Xeno, you’re my everything.”

         “Oh, did I die already?” He laughs weakly. “Am I hallucinating?”

         “No, I’m here. I’m really here! And I’ll never let you go!”

         “What are you gonna do, take me hostage?” His personality slowly returns to him, his very soul.

         “If I must,” she replies.

         “I suppose,” tears begin to flow down his own face, “I don’t have a problem with that…” Finally, he uses the last of his energy and faints. At first, the girls are alarmed, but are relieved to notice that he’s still breathing.

         “Xeno, I told you before,” she whispers, “that you belong at my side. You’re mine.”

* * *

 

          _I’m standing in a strange dimension. A world of nothing. I can’t even see myself, only the blank, white void before me. There’s no sound, or any other color. There’s only nothing. Did I really just die, I think to myself. No, that’s impossible. I could never die when Tenshi is with me. After all, she’s a healer. And she’s not just any healer, she’s my wife, my guardian angel. I’ll always love her._

_There’s something manifesting in my view. I can’t distinguish if it’s a shadow or a flame. Whatever it is, it’s clearly moving. After several seconds, it forms the shape of a girl, a very familiar girl. Her eyepatch, her bandaging, her cloak… it’s all familiar. Suddenly, the shadowy flames make sense to me. It’s the Dark Flame, a unique Spirit. I still wonder why my group of friends all have unique Spirits. I don’t think we’re even that special._

_“Apprentice,” a voice speaks. It’s just as I remember. “No, I should address you as ‘Master’ from now on. After all, your potential for magic is much higher than my own. In fact, you could probably take on the Society of Evil Mages!” Strangely, the voice makes me feel warm and happy, instead of regretful. Why is this, I wonder._

_“You have surpassed the Dark Flame, and you have even mastered the dragons’ power! Yes, I witnessed your great journey from the endless desert! Your power is truly not to be underestimated!” It’s as if nothing ever happened to her, as if she were alive and in front of me._

_“But there has been just one thing bothering me! I noticed that you keep thinking that you’re responsible for my death!” Of course, she decided to talk to me in this dream-like state so that I couldn’t argue…_

_“But, know this, Master! It was no murder, it was merely an accident! An unavoidable accident! Keep in mind that this is coming straight from the girl who died! And don’t worry! You can summon me anytime! I’ll even let you use my Spirit, but only if you agree to stop blaming yourself! It’s a deal, okay?” She smiles passionately at me. I feel a wave of relief, as if a boulder that had been placed on me was lifted._

_She retains her smile as the entire image begins to fade. I must be waking up. “I shouldn’t keep you here forever. You should talk to the others, too! It’s time to wake up now!”_

When I finally wake up, it’s probably around midnight. The moonlight shines through the window, and provides some visibility. I can see that I’m in my own bed. The bed that Tenshi and I share, that is. It’s relieving that I can finally sleep in comfort again. But something’s missing… I look to my right where Tenshi should be, but find the space to be empty. She would never sleep anywhere else, so I find it odd.

         Then, I notice that there’s something on top of me. It’s not like a blanket, but it’s warm and heavy. What is this?! I decide to take a look, but see something strange in the moonlight. It’s Tenshi, who is sitting in top of me. Wait, why is Tenshi sitting on top of me?! Is she even wearing clothes right now?!  Could it be that she lost control of her Spirit?!

         “Xeno, you’re finally awake. I waited two whole days, you know. That wasn’t very fair of you.”

         “Tenshi, the name’s Webster. I… remember everything now. About my past.”

         “No, it’s not,” she says with confidence.

         “What do you mean? You can’t just change my name!”

         “So dense, yet so irresistible. From my perspective, I didn’t change your name, you did. You were always Xeno, and you still are. You’re _my_ Xeno.”

         “Tenshi, are you feeling alright?” I noticed that she’s been acting strangely, almost like Ketsueki. I know it’s her Spirit, but I have to ask.

         “Physically, I’m fine, but my Spirit… You’ve been teasing me for a long time. Sleeping in the same bed, and not doing anything. Do you know how stressed young girls like me get, Xeno?”

         “Stressed?” I present to play dumb in the case that it’s merely a misunderstanding. My mind is still immature, after all.

         “Yes, stressed. And now I have you to relieve myself with. I won’t let anyone else have you. Not Shinrai, not Red, not Hikari. You’re all mine, just as I am yours.”

         “I guess I _should_ spend some more time with you. I spent about a month with the others. You know, Red told me about the Wings of the Succubi…”

         “Oh? Well, my Spirit is above Wings of the Angels, it’s the Guardian Angel. Because of that, I don’t merely have the Wings of the Succubi.” A set of black, bat-like wings unfurl from her back, dark horns protrude from her head, and a devilish tail appears behind her. “My temporary Spirit is simply called ‘The Succubus!’ It’s not just the Wings!”

         “Did you, by chance, fly into the city with Guardian Angel?”

         “Indeed, I did. Now, be quiet and let us begin.”

         “Uh… S-should we be doing this when your mom is home?!” My face is probably bright red. This talk about “relieving stress” is incredibly embarrassing! I never thought I would see Tenshi acting this way, but it must be her Spirit.

         “The walls were designed to absorb sound waves. We’ll be fine.” Then, I succumb to the Succubus’ irresistible charm. I’m not sure if it’s an actual spell, or if it’s merely me relying on instincts,

         The rest of the night passes by in seemingly no time at all. I don’t think I even got a wink of sleep… I did catch a glimpse of the sun rising, but I was too tired at that point. It was noon by the time I woke up completely, and I was still exhausted, too. Note to self: The Succubus is not to be underestimated, despite the innocence of its user. I didn’t think it was possible for a Spirit to change one’s personality in such a drastic way, but I guess there’s a reason why it’s called “losing control.”

         “Xeno, Xeno!” Tenshi is full of energy, as usual. She’s acting as if nothing even happened last night. Does she even remember it? I better not ask… “What do you what to eat?”

         “Hmm… Just the usual. I’m gonna go see Fu, it’s been forever!”

         “Alright! I’ll call you when it’s ready!” Immediately, I head to Fu’s room, which is partially a garden room. It feels so natural being in this house. For some reason, I don’t have any anxieties anymore. Everything is just peaceful. I take a moment to reflect on my words back in the Guild. Maybe there _is_ a god, after all, or maybe it was the good luck charm. Whatever brought us back together, I am thankful for it.

         When I walk into Fu’s room, I see him running in circles and jumping around playfully. He and Tenshi gave such a similar personality that it’s almost scary. I crouch down to pet him, but he jumps up on my left shoulder and the goes around my neck to the right side. “Did Tenshi teach you this?” I ask, but obviously not expecting a response. “Hmm… I don’t have any treats, so I’ll think I’ll just pet you instead!” He purrs as I pet him, as usual. He absolutely refuses to get down, so I carefully get up and walk to another room.

         “Tenshi!” I guess I started to walk into the kitchen without even realizing. “Did you teach Fu tricks? He was definitely not as energetic last month!”

         “Yes, I did! He’s super cool now!” She gives him a small bit of a carrot, and he begins to consume it. “Anyway, lunch is ready!”

         Everyone sits at the table in the dining room. And by everyone, I mean Hikari, Shinrai, Red, Blue, Lance, and even Mom. However, there’s also two surprise guests. They’re not some ordinary houseguests, they’re both people I’m familiar to. It feels strange to see everyone together in one spot.

         “K-Konton?! Old man?! Why are you here?!”

         “It’s been centuries… No, it’s been a millennium since I’ve last eaten. I wish to do so once more…. Please feed me, Master!”  

         “Ugh… fine. It better contribute to your growth.” I pat her head.

         “Hey, kiddo! After yesterday, I just felt obligated to check up on y’all.” What a strange world I live in. A world where I get visited by some old man whose name is unknown to me, and where the dead demand to be fed. I kind of miss my old, peaceful life, but this is much more exciting.

         “Xeno… You’ve got an awful lot of girls with you,” Tenshi’s pouts.

         “Huh? What d’you mean?”

         “I mean, you need to spend more time with me! Lots of it!”

         “It’s not even my fault! It’s just a series of unfortunate circumstances!” Then, she reaches out her right and and pinches my right cheek. “Ow, ow, ow! I’m sorry! Please forgive me!”

         “It’s nice to see you two lovebirds going at it already…”

         “Wh-! Mom?! Don’t say things like that!”

         “But why not?”

         “Everyone is watching… it’s embarrassing!” Speaking of everyone, I can see Shinrai who is almost steaming. “Hey, you! Do you have a fever or something?”

         “I-I’m fine, you idiot! It’s _you who_ almost died yesterday! I was j-just worried about you!” Finally, she admits it. What awful character development…

         “B-but don’t misunderstand! It’s only because there would be chaos if you died!” Of course… Once a tsundere, always a tsundere. I probably shouldn’t tease her anymore. Just probably.

         “Yes, I can feel the energy…” Red begins talking about some nonsense. “You two did _it_ last night, didn’t you?! Oh, Princess! I envy you so very much!”

         “What?! You did it and didn’t even tell me?! Tenshi!” Mom freaks out.

         “M-Mother! That’s inappropriate!”

         “I agree,” Hikari states. “Royalty should not discuss such things!”

         “I am her mother! I should know everything!”

         “Good grief,” I sigh. I look over at Fu, who’s staring at me with empathy. It’s at the point where even animals empathize with me, it’s truly pathetic. Though, that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy this exciting new life.

         Before I sit down to eat, I hear something odd. It’s a familiar sound that I haven’t heard in over a year. Something is producing music in my room. It’s somewhat loud so it catches everyone’s attention.

         “Xeno, what is that?” Tenshi asks.

         “No way! That’s gotta be my phone!” I return Fu to his room and then dart off to the bedroom. I open the drawer where I last placed the device, and see that an alarm is going off. I thought it was a call, so I’m slightly disappointed. Nonetheless, my phone is working as the Primordial said it would. Of course, my stupid self never put a passcode lock on it so I don’t need to enter in a password. When I turn off the alarm, however, I see notifications from the past year. I specifically read the notifications from my childhood friend, named Lotus. Her name comes from the flower which I find to be so beautiful.

 

“Heard what happened at the prototype presentation. Everything alright?”

“Matt, R U okay?!”

“Please answer me, we’re all worried!”

“They R saying that you’re dead! Please respond!”

“Now they said that you went missing?”

“Where did U go?!”

“Respond.”

“Please.”

“I’m sorry.”

        The messages were sent over the span of a month. After that, she sent no more messages. I feel a little guilty for abandoning my friends, abandoning Lotus, but I realize now that I no longer have feelings for her, at least romantically. I would love to see my friends again, and let them know I’m okay, but I wouldn’t never trade Tenshi for anyone else. Just as she said, I belong at her side and she belongs at mine.

         I decide to go unlock my phone and enter the photos app. Before I get to see anything, Tenshi sneaks up behind me. “That’s… your phone, right? It’s working now?”

         “Yeah, I guess so. It’s kinda useless without internet, though.”

         “Oh! Those must be the pictures you mentioned!” She hugs me from behind and peaks over my shoulder.

         “Yeah…” I find a picture of me when I was young. I’m dressed as the Dark Invader from _Space Wars_ , holding a red light-sword.

         “Did you always use swords?” Tenshi asks innocently, unaware of what she’s looking at. I can’t help but laugh.

         “No, that’s just a toy. I was a big sci-fi lover.” I also see pictures of my friends, family, and I hanging out, all having fun. There’s also some embarrassing photos that I shall allow Tenshi, and only Tenshi, to see. Most of them are just my friends doing stupid things that probably shouldn’t be done, like lighting napkins on fire and nearly burning ourselves. My middle school years were absolute chaos.

         “Do you… miss them?”

         “A lot…” I take time to stare at each photo and remember each moment. Each photo has memories locked behind them. A phone is capable of never forgetting data, unlike the human brain which may lose certain memories as time passes. I can’t count how many times that’s screwed me over during school life.

         “Xeno…” Tenshi wipes the space under my left eye with her finger. “You’re crying…”

         “It’s funny… Now that I remember everything, I kind of want to go back… In fact, when we’re done with this whole thing with Seishin, I’ll be sent home… but… I want to stay with you! I want to be with you forever!”

         “Xeno, that Primordial thing never sent you here, even if it _is_ the same machine told in legends. Fate itself has decided that we would meet. I’m sure that you’ll find a way to stay.” Her gentle words provide me comfort. Right now, it feels like we’re alone in this world together. I just want to stay here and…

         “P-Prince and Princess Shugosha?!” Shinrai appears suddenly in the doorway, which is wide open. “I-I didn’t mean to interrupted! Ahaha! I think I’ll just be going back downstairs!” Hurried footsteps can be heard rushing down the stairs.

         “We should get going, too.”

         “Wait!” Tenshi grabs the back of my shirt. “Could you take a picture of me?”

         “I could… but I’m awfully hungry!”

         “Xeno! Please…?” I feel like if I say no again I’ll be cursed and suffer a horrible and painful death. I guess I have to.

         “Alright, alright… Sit over there on the bed.” She complies and sits on the bed, where the sunlight glows on her face and her hair glistens. I tap on the camera icon and quickly snap a picture as she smiles innocently at me. “Here, wanna see?”

         “Yes!” I hand her my phone and show her the picture. “Wow! Precursor technology is amazing!” At this rate, I could forget how assertive Tenshi was acting last night and pretend that it never happened… Tenshi hands me my phone.

         “Alright,” I place the phone back within the drawer, “I’m gonna go get my breakfast! I’m starved!”

         Everyone is giving us strange stares. I wonder what’s happening… Oh, Shinrai’s face is bright red. She told them… Why did she think that was a good idea?! “Shinrai… Heh… Heh… You didn’t… You didn’t tell them anything weird, did you?”

         “N-no! Even I am decent enough to not talk about your private affairs!” Everyone else forces a smile and pretends to not know what she’s talking about. Red has a look of jealousy, and Mom has a look of curiosity.  She definitely told them… It’s only been a couple minutes, what do they all think happened in that span of time?! This little event makes the rest of lunch awkward.

         Now, as a Mom and I discussed, we are going to go to the city’s blacksmith and have him construct a gun. Tenshi decided that she would come with us and see it for herself. Such a thing was never made before in this world, so it should be an interesting experience for everyone. I’d love to have something a little more advanced, but it would be impossible considering this world’s technology. Providing materials shouldn’t be a problem, as the blacksmith has access to a wide variety of metals. We _could_ go to the royal blacksmith, but it would take longer to travel.

         “It’s like a cannon, but much smaller. The bullets, which are made of lead, have a sort of explosive on the back. It explodes when the trigger is pulled because it gets hit by a little hammer.”

         “So it gets propelled by gunpowder?” The blacksmith asks. He’s a tall, muscular man with a great, dark beard and somewhat long hair. He’s kind of scary looking but he’s oddly friendly.

         “Exactly. Also, there’s two parts of the bullet. There’s the casing and the full-metal jacket. The casing is the part that has the gunpowder in it. The full-metal jacket flies out of the casing from the opposite end of where it gets ignited.”

         “Does it look like this?” He hands me a sketch. It depicts a full-metal jacket and the casing. Behind the casing is the primer, which ignites the gun powder.

         “Yeah, that’s really accurate. When the bullet gets fired, there’s grooves in the end of the barrel that carve into the bullet. They cause it to spiral and be more accurate. Also, make sure the grip is an insulator or else I’ll burn my hand…”

         “Alright…” He takes a moment to sketch. “So it should like this, right?” He shows me another sketch. It looks almost like a child drew it, but it’s understandable. The drawing displays a barrel, the hammer, the grip, and a trigger without a guard. There’s also a one-bullet chamber. It’s very blocky.

         “Well, that there is really primitive, but you get the idea.”

         “Got it! Give me some time and I’ll have it ready! You’re royalty _and_ you're showing me something new, so I ain’t asking you to pay.”

         The process of crafting a weapon is fascinating. I see him shape the wood with various sized chisels. He takes some sort of golden metal, though it isn’t actually gold, and forms the barrel and chamber. He also crafts the little parts that are apart if the trigger mechanism. The whole process takes about an hour and it was as if he had actually seen a gun before. He also made several lead bullets. 

         The first prototype is much better looking than the sketch. There’s a distinguishable handgun-like shape. The gold-like barrel is bolted onto a wooden piece below it, which is attached to the “body” where the one-bullet chamber is. The “body,” unlike the grip and the part below the barrel, is made of a metal similar to my armor. The grip, trigger, and hammer are all present. 

         “Hmm… I don’t think this one-shot chamber. It’s kinda inefficient,” I complain. It’ll be a problem during combat, especially if I miss.

         “Got any ideas on how to fix that?” the Blacksmith asks.

         “Yeah. If you make a revolving chamber, it can fire several times before I have to reload it.”

         “Sheesh, you Precursors sure had it good!”

         “Also, I’d like to ask you a favor…”

         “Alright, what’s on your mind, kid?”

         “A gun is a weapon of war. I swear that I will make this country, and even this world, peaceful. Promise me that you’ll never make such a weapon for anyone else. I don’t want innocents to be hurt because of something I brought upon this world.”

         “No guns, no wars! Understood!” I didn’t actually expect him to obey, but he did. No one should have a gun in this world if I am to make it peaceful.

          He hands me the gun, and a bullet… I open the chamber and load the bullet. Damn, this thing is actually pretty high quality! I want to see the power of the gun, so I head outside and aim at a tree stump in the ground. I actually haven’t fired a real gun before, so I try to remember a scene from a video game where an adult teaches an orphan how to shoot a gun in a post-apocalyptic world. _Don’t lock your elbows. Never put your finger on the trigger unless you want to hurt somebody. Take a quick breath before you shoot and aim steadily. Lastly, don’t be afraid._

          _BANG!_ It explodes in my hands and burns my skin. It’s incredibly painful… My ears are also ringing, but that’s not my main concern right now. I also see Tenshi covering her ears and closing her eyes. She’s visibly frightened form the noise. I grab one of her hands.

         “Tenshi, it’s alright. There’s nothing to be scared, it’s just noise…”

         “Huh…?” She carefully observed her surroundings. “Xeno! You’re hurt!”

         “Yeah, it kinda exploded. Not as bad as what I’ve already been through…” She immediately begins to heal my hands. “Shouldn’t I need some time to recover?”

         “No, it’s just some burns. You should be alright.”

         “I see… Come on, let’s head back in.” I return to the Blacksmith and see him already working on the next prototype. He instantly notices that the gun is missing.

         “What went wrong?” He asks.

         “It exploded…”

         “Exploded, huh? I guess we’re close. Got any ideas for improvement?”

         “Ventilation in the barrel. That should do it.”

         “Alright!” He takes about another hour to craft another gun. This time, it really does look like a gun. I could see it being used in the 18th or 19th century. The revolving chamber, the barrel with holes for ventilation, the trigger guard, it’s all together. I can feel it in my gut, this is the one that works. When it’s finished, I load the remaining four bullets into the chamber. I’d prefer a six-shooter, but I really can’t complain.

         The second prototype is much more improved than the first. I’m surprised at how quickly the Blacksmith picked this up. Now there is a four-bullet revolving chamber, a trigger guard, and some holes along the gold-like barrel. It resembles something out of an old “Wild West” movie mixed with 19th century technology. It’s quite an accomplishment considering this world’s current state of technology. 

         “Yes! Let’s take this outside!” Mom, Tenshi, the Blacksmith, and I all excitedly head outside.

         I find the tree stump where the last version failed. The ventilated barrel should reduce the risk of it exploding and falling apart. Perhaps we could enchant it to ensure that it at least stays together and to suppress the sound… I take a quick breath and aim for the tree stump. _Bang!_ Smoke exits the holes of the barrel.

         “Ah!” I hear Tenshi shriek, but this time she’s doesn’t close her eyes. She’s merely startled from the sound. That’s to be expected. However, there’s something odd on the tree stump that wasn’t there before. A bullet hole.

         “We did it… We did it!”

         “Nah, this was all you! I wish I was a Precursor…” This Blacksmith is quite an odd fellow…

         “No, you made it. Here!” I hand him a pouch of about two hundred gold coins. “Don’t even bother giving it back, alright?”

         “Fine, fine! If you insist!” I remember Tenshi doing something similar back at that maid cafe. Tenshi was right, we were meant to be together.

         “Xeno…” Tenshi says while we return him. “That hole… It was the same as the hole in your leg when I found you.”

         “Tenshi, could we… not talk about that?”

         “Oh… Sorry! I didn’t mean to-!”

         “Don’t apologize for something that’s not your fault. You did nothing wrong. I know you wouldn’t ever do something against me on purpose.”

         “O-okay…” she says, there’s some sadness in her voice. It really isn’t her fault. It’s just that I don’t want to talk about what happened on that day. After all, my father… is dead. I don’t know how she’d react if I told her, but I don’t want her feeling sad for me all of the time. I want to make her happy. I love her more when she’s happy, it hurts to see her upset.

         “I can’t believe we made a gun… I’ll call it… ‘Defiance.’”

         “Defiance?” Tenshi questions my choice.

         “Yeah. In the case that fate itself decides to separate us again, I’ll mix things up a little and shoot my way out of whatever situation we’re thrown in. Say, you wouldn’t mind if I test it out in a dungeon, do you?”

         “Hmm… I told you, didn’t I? I won’t let you go alone again!”

         “Huh? But there’s six of us… We’re quite capable of handling a battle.”

         “You know what I mean!” We both giggle. I still don't really understand how Tenshi acts so childish most of the time, but is capable of acting mature and even assertive other times. She’s so sweet and wholesome, I really can’t resist her. Somehow, I find myself holding her hand as we walk, and she grips tighter than I do. She really doesn’t plan on letting me leave her again.

         It’s some time in the evening by the time we return. I could’ve sworn that Mom whispered something to Tenshi as she listened intently. Ever since then, she’s seemed a little restless. I don’t entirely believe that nothing at all happened, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to intrude. If it involved me, she would gladly tell me in a heartbeat.

         Right before I open the door, Tenshi places herself in front of me. Then, she says, “Now that we’re home… Would you like dinner? Or a bath? Or-.” I _cannot_ let her finish that sentence! To explain, what she was saying is a line that is often spoken in anime. Would-you-like-dinner-or-a-bath-or-me, specifically the “or me” implies that the speaker seeks sexual action with the one to receive such a message. However, I refuse to allow Tenshi’s child-like innocence become corrupted!

         “Yeah! A bath sounds nice! I’ve been beaten up a lot lately,  so it’d be nice to relax for a bit! Ahahaha…!” I force a smile. Then, Tenshi retreats to her mother and begins whispering. I pretend that I can’t hear anything, but I can.

         “Mother! He seems startled! What does ‘or me’ imply?”

         “Exactly what _you think_ it means! He’s too dense to make any moves, so you shall take the initiative!”

         “M-Mother?!” Tenshi quickly shouts, but Mom swiftly covers he smile and smiles at me.  

         “Now, since he wants a bath, you should…” I lose hope in the situation and begin to walk inside. Immediately as I step in, Tenshi puts herself in front of me once more.

         “P-perhaps… you would like me to bathe with you?” Clearly, she is unwillingly saying this. Why is Mom acting like Tenshi and I aren’t married already?! We get along just fine, too! I bet she’s thinking that we need to “practice” having an heir. This is outrageous!

         “Ahahaha… I’m starved all of a sudden! I think I’d like dinner!”

         “Oh! Alright! Do you have anything in mind?” Phew, I managed to avoid this situation… At least, that’s what I thought!

         “Xeno! Your dinner is ready!” Tenshi calls me.

         “Alright, I’m coming!” I eagerly walk towards the table. I really am starved after being unconscious for two days. However, what I see on the table is… “Rice omelette?!”

         Not only is there rice omelette being served to me, but there is a big heart drawn in ketchup! I conclude that Mom told her to do so, but how does she even know about that?! This is another thing often seen in Japanese media, though I don’t know why these things keep happening. It’s almost as if this world desires to become an anime… I figure that the knowledge of rice omelette with a ketchup-drawn heart has been passed down like some sort of family tradition. Still, I sit down and begin to eat.

         “How is it?” Tenshi asks, seemingly not knowing the significance of rice omelet with a ketchup-drawn heart. She probably thinks it’s just some cute think that wives should do. Oh, Tenshi, I cherish your innocence…

         “This is… pretty good! Where did you learn the recipe?”

         “Oh! Mother told me!” Yup, I was right… At least I got a good meal, though that’s not to say that everything made by Tenshi is bad. It’s, in fact, the exact opposite. She’s a natural wife!

         After dinner, I decide to head for the bath. It’s been a while since I’ve taken a _real_ bath with warm water, so I’m looking forward to it. Spending a month without bathing really makes me feel dirty. In fact, there will probably be a cloud of dirt in the water the moment I step in. However, when I walk into the bathroom that I usually use, I see Shinrai sitting in there with no clothing on (as it should be in a bath). When she notices me, her face turns bright red.

         “Th-This room is occupied!” She screams as she slams the door shut. She didn’t even lock the door, how was I supposed to know?! I’m actually pleasantly surprised that I didn’t take a kick to the gut just now. Fortunately, there’s two bathrooms right next to each other. When I open the door to the opposite bathroom, I close my eyes in the event that someone is in there. Red, Blue, and Lance should’ve left by now, so there shouldn’t be anyone in there…

         However, I slip on the floor which is wet and fall forwards. “Kyaa!” Someone shrieks as I fall. The voice seems to fall with me. No doubt, it’s a girl, so I keep my eyes shut as tightly as possible. However, when we hit the floor, my hand touches a body. This couldn’t be…

         “X-Xeno… I-I won't stop you, but if you do it so suddenly like that…” I slowly open my eyes…

         “T-T-Tenshi?!” In an instant I stand up and make a bolt for the door. “I’m sorry!” When I attempt to open the door, it won’t even budge. I check the lock, but it seems to be locked from the outside somehow. “What?! It’s locked?!”

         “Xeno… It’s alright. If anything… I _want_ you to see me like this!”

         “You… what…?” I slowly turn my head around. Fortunately, I have mastered eye contact! Tenshi approaches me and takes my hand.

         “Come on, you can’t bathe with your clothes on, can you?”

         “...I guess not. Just let me do it myself, okay?”

         “Alright…” I guess there’s nothing wrong about being nude in front of someone who you’re married to. Though, it is kinda embarrassing…

         She decides to sit directly next to me in the bath. I begin to feel hot, and I’m not sure if it’s the steam or the embarrassment. By merely glancing at the door, I can feel the smug aura emitting from it… If Tenshi was as intense as her mother, I don’t think I’d even be able to keep up with her for a single day.

         “Xeno… Do you… not like me anymore?” Tenshi asks suddenly.

         “Don’t be silly, Tenshi. I could never not like you.”

         “What exactly do you like about me?” Yikes! Hit with such a difficult question!

         “I can’t say exactly… but that’s because I like so many things about you. For a start, I think you’re adorable. You look like an angel. I like how amiable you are. You’re also kinda clumsy, but in a cute way. If I wrote everything down, it would probably take hours.”

         “Oh. Well, I know what I love about you.”

         “Can you?” She’s probably going to have a big list of very oddly specific things…

         “Yes. I love how easy it is to tease you, I love how you always apologize when you don’t need to, I love how sweet and charming you always are to others, I love your scent, your eye color, your face, the way you snore at night, how you always love my cooking, how you play with Fu, how you get embarrassed even though we’ve been married…”

         “You just made up that last one, didn’t you?”

         “Yes,” she giggles. “But there’s thing that I don’t like, too. In fact, you could say that I _hate_ them.”

         “Oh?”

         “I don’t like how you keep everything to yourself. No matter how difficult your situation is, you never tell me about it until I make you. And when I forgot about you, seeing you holding back your tears… At the time, I didn’t understand why, but it made me feel guilty. And I absolutely hate it when you think that getting killed for my sake is reasonable to do!” She embraces me tightly and rests her head on my shoulder.

         “I know… but… I was so scared… I didn’t know what to do. Without you, I’m just… nothing.”

         “But you’re my everything, Xeno. You make my life just like that story…”

         “Story?”

         “ _The Fallen Angel_. It has a sad ending… It’s about a prince who finds an alleged princess and takes her in.”

         “Huh, that kinda sounds familiar… And why was she only an alleged princess?”

         “Because she said she was a princess, but there were no kingdoms nearby that she could’ve come from. It was like she just appeared out of nowhere.”

         “Okay… this is getting kinda creepy. Well, what happened after that?” I ask.

         “They spent several months together. The Prince always tried to ask the Princess about her kingdom, but she would always say that she couldn’t answer. Not because she didn’t remember, but for some other reason. One day, she said that she needed to fight an evil that could destroy the world, and that she wouldn’t return if she succeeds.”

         “But why not?” I ask.

         “Nobody knows… but the Prince said he would wait for her to return. She never did, and so he died alone, but he wasn’t sad. He was happy because he got to meet the Princess.”

         “Happy? If I fell in love with someone and never saw them again, I’d be… at least a little sad.”

         “Some people say that there was someone else beside him on his deathbed. A girl with silver hair and bright purple eyes. She’s matches the description of the Princess, and she was just as young.”

         “Is this story true?” The way she phrases her words make it seem as if she’s talking about some sort of historical event.

         “Well, the Prince did have a daughter even though there wasn’t anyone he wasn’t romantically involved with… He also said that she was one of two twins, but the other was almost never present.”

         “ _Almost_ never?”

         “Yes. Some people claimed to have seen a boy of the same age playing with the daughter, but no one knows where he came from. Other people think that they were just lying about it and that the story was never real.”

         “So it’s based off of real people, but the events are changed to make a better story… Sounds like a Shakespeare play…” I doubt Tenshi knows who Shakespeare is, but I mumbled that anyway.

         “I like to think that it’s true, because it’s so such a nice story, and also because our lives are so similar.”

         “Yeah, it’s almost _too_ similar to ours.”

         Several minutes pass. There is only silence coming out of our mouths. Each minute seems to pass as an hour. Instead of voices, I only hear the bubbling of the water. As time passes, I begin to no longer feel the warmth of the water. It’s almost as if I am about to completely disappear from this world, just how did in the first one. However, Tenshi decides to break the silence.

         “Lots of scary things keep happening around you, and I’ve been thinking… is it because of me?”

         “What? Why would you think that?” For some reason, I feel guilty for making her say that even though it isn’t necessarily my fault. Things just keep going south for me, it’s just Fate. One day, there will be peace. I will work as hard as I can to ensure that, but not for the World’s sake. I will work only for myself and Tenshi.

         “Because… I’m a selfish girl. The second I saw you, I stole you from the road… That whole time we looked for someone who knew you, I was hoping that we didn’t find anyone. Things would be different if I never found you…”

         I can’t bring myself to say it, but there are things I dislike about Tenshi, too. I dislike how she thinks she’s guilty of my suffering. I dislike how she hides everything from me. I dislike how she thinks so negatively, but acts so positively. Of course, her positivity brings joy upon everyone around her, but hearing her say these painful things is just as painful for me.

         “I think I’d probably just starve to death in the city streets as a beggar. It was for the best that you found me,” I attempt to disprove her.

         “… I’ve caused you a lot of pain. The other day…”

         “You’re wrong,” I interrupt, “that wasn’t your fault.”

         “I still casted you out… but when I remembered everything… I fell in love with you again, and now I’ll never let you go.”

         “Yeah, yeah,” I sigh, “I’ll be your hostage… Just make sure you stay true to your word!”

         “People say that the closer couples get, the more it hurts. I don’t want you to hurt, but I can’t stay away from you, either… Say, Xeno, am I a burden to you?” The question seems to be taken from out of nowhere. What could’ve possibly made her think that she’s a burden to me? I still feel guilty for making her feel this way, and it hurts. I’ll have to atone for the sins that I’ve never committed here and now.

         “What? No!” I shout, but not loud enough to frighten her. “You can think what you want, I don’t care, but don’t _ever_ say that about yourself. You could never be a burden to me, no matter what! Whatever you think negatively about yourself, I’ll see it as a positive!”

         “But…” She tries to argue, but I won’t let her.

         “But nothing! If you start talking like this again, I’ll make you stop, I promise you that!”

         “Really? Hm… I’d like to see you try!” She suddenly seems full of energy again. This is the side of her that I find irresistible. Whenever she’s vulnerable like how she just was, I’ll find a way to cheer her up. I know she would do the same for me, and I would be a bad Prince if she gave me all of this emotional support for nothing in return. I don’t think there could be anyone else who makes me happier than the angel who is currently in front of me.

         “I’ll do it… just like this.” I grab her by the shoulders and face her. I carefully examine the expression on her face… Her eyes are wide open in curiosity. She has no idea what to expect. From her perspective, I could start shouting or even hit her. Well, I hope she knows by now that I could never be bold enough to hit her. Anyway, I move my head forwards and make our lips contact each other. She holds me tightly as we stay in this position for several seconds.

         “Xeno, I love you!”

         “I love you, too, Tenshi! Don’t forget it!” I’ve been struck by a sudden wave of energy. I guess Tenshi’s happiness is contagious.

         “I couldn’t if I tried! I could never forget you!” What she said was only ironic because of what happened the other day. Still, I guess she did retain her memories even though she believed that to be dreams. In a way, she didn’t forget. I can only hope that she doesn’t continue to believe that it was her fault. In fact, it was _my_ fault for being reckless and running away from her, or even commencing my attack on Seishin. One day, we will have to face each other again…

         After the bath, we went to bed as usual. I could’ve sworn that I heard something move behind the door as soon as our lips made contact with each other, so I wasn’t surprised when it was unlocked. As we slept, Tenshi held me tighter and closer than ever before. The tightness was almost to the point where I had difficulty breathing, but the warmth was comforting. With her at my side, I feel like I could fight the world, or even God himself. My guardian angel will never let me die until the day we grow too old and feeble to live. I will save this world, and I will ensure that I stay here until that day comes. I will find a way, no matter how long it takes.


	13. Into the Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happiness is only temporary.

Chapter 13, “Into the Darkness”

 

         It’s been nine days since Tenshi and I reunited. Guards from the King’s army have been assigned to our home for quite obvious reasons. Currently, we’re on our way to the Adventuring Guild to look for a bounty. We aren’t looking for money, but I merely want to test out Defiance, my new gun which is the only one to exist in this world. I’ll have to pick up some ammunition, as well. Not only am I traveling with my team consisting of Shinrai and Hikari, but Tenshi is also with me as well.

         She wears a set of white mage’s robes that seems to almost glow. As it drags across the ground, it doesn’t even seem to be affected by the dirt and looks just as clean as it was when she initially put it on. I got the chance to touch it, and it’s made of a soft silk-like material that seems comfortable to wear. It provides no protection from physical attacks, but it’s able to repel spells. Due to this, I have sworn to be both her shield and her sword. It’d be nice to have Hikari’s support, but she’s not always reliable.

         “I have to stop by the Blacksmith for a bit! It may be a while, so all of you should just wait outside,” I suggest. Four bullets won’t be enough to clear a cave or a dungeon of monsters. The issue is not the capacity of the chamber, but the total number of bullets I have on me.

         The Blacksmith’s workshop is as hot as usual. I immediately begin to feel sweat secrete on my face when I step in. No doubt, it’s because of the forge’s heat, which is hot enough to turn metals into molten liquid. To my surprise, I see him filling some bullets with gunpowder. I hope he keeps those bullet molds concealed somewhere when he’s not using them. After all, I should be the only individual in this world to possess a gun.

         “Hey, it’s you! Nice timing! I made this for you!” The Blacksmith greets me with much enthusiasm. He also hands me some sort of leather belt. On the right side is a holster, and along the belt are pouches that resemble something that would be seen on a soldier. There’s definitely something in them, so I decide to take a look.

         “Looks like you’ve been busy,” I say. Inside each of the pouches is six bullets. There’s six pouches that go all around the belt, so there’s thirty-six bullets in total. There’s forty bullets including the four that are already loaded in the chamber of my gun. I guess he also thought of the issue that I encountered. Forty shots isn’t actually a lot if I get into a large scale battle, but I still have my sword and my Spirit.

         “I also had the city’s archmage come by and had him write up a scroll for you,” the Blacksmith continues. A scroll is a roll of paper which is capable of allowing someone to perform a “pseudo-spell.” Pseudo-spells are spells which can be casted for specific purposes. Any individual is able to repetitively use the spell as long as they retain the knowledge that is written within the scroll. However, they are difficult to create and may use a lot of mana depending on the function.

         One notable example is called the “Blacksmith’s Apprentice” which is capable of creating a weapon as long as the necessary raw materials, which is often iron, are nearby. Because the process is automated, the produced weapon is not as high in quality as some blacksmiths are able to achieve. It’s practiced more for during times of war when armies must draft as many soldiers as possible. It’s also a modified variant of the spell that Lance used to keep us hydrated awhile ago.

         There are some magic runes drawn on the paper, but the rest of it is printed text. The scroll reads,

          _This message is only for the eyes of the Prince of Unmei. If this message is found in the hands of any other individual that is not an associate, the destruction of this message is necessary. However, if it is the Prince that reads this, may you find this of use._

_The following spell is complex and requires focus. Failure will result in the loss of your mana with no results. Because of the spell’s complexity, it does require a great amount of mana, so you must take caution upon casting._

_The function of this spell is to manufacture a single projectile for your weapon. If this is read by the Prince, then you will surely understand what I mean by “your weapon.” Due to the scarcity of lead, it will instead seek copper, which should suffice. However, it will seek lead if enough is available. It shall also seek and combine the materials necessary to make gunpowder. I assume you can figure out what occurs when these materials gather. In fact, you may notice the results of the spell placed within your accessory provided to you by the local Blacksmith._

_As previously mentioned, this requires focus. You must sense your environment, and the very elements within it. This spell is appropriately called, “_ **_Bullet Forge_ ** _.”_

_-Sincerely, the Archmage of this great city._

 

This scroll is formatted almost like a letter. Anyone who reads it without paying attention may just think of it as such and ignore the spell. I notice that he stated the result of the spell has been placed within my accessory, which should be this belt. After examining each of the pouches, I notice one of the bullets is different in color. This particular bullet has a unique brownish color to it and is obviously made up of copper as stated in the scroll. I’m tempted to cast Bullet Forge, but the presence of the copper bullet verifies that it works.

         “Huh, you’ve already solved my problem… Well, this speeds up my schedule for today. Thanks!” I pass him a pouch of one-hundred gold coins are exit before I can even think about returning the gold. Outside, I fasten my new belt which has captured the attention of everyone. “This is just some extra ammunition, it’s nothing special.”

         “But, Xeno, you look cool! Like a hero!” Tenshi is more interested in my new gear than anyone else.

         “If I had a cape, I’d definitely be the protagonist of a fable…”

         “Hah, maybe I’ll go and buy you one,” Shinrai snickers. She’s acting as if she didn’t get all sappy with me about a week and a half ago. I guess this is the way things usually are, and the way that they must be.

         “I’d prefer if you didn’t, so please don’t…” I beg.

         We make our way to the Guild. It feels as if the entire city’s population is staring at us. It _is_ unusual to see both the Prince and Princess dress for combat, after all. Also, many have noticed an peculiar device seen holstered in my belt. I wonder what the public believes it to be… From their perspective, it could be some sort of magic aid and not a deadly non-magic projectile launching weapon. If any thieves come by, I’ll gladly demonstrate on a non-vital area. I’m not cruel enough to kill them on the spot, even though robbing royalty is pretty low.

         The guildsmen are staring at us. It gives off an intimidating aura, as if they planned on attacking us. However, it’s important to retain one’s composure no matter the circumstances, a lesson I learned the hard way. Also, I just happen to know the exact reason why everyone’s staring at us. To be specific, they’re staring at Shinrai, who is awfully confused. Tenshi and Hikari, however, are also in on this.

         “These glares,” Hikari whispers, “are so wonderful!” Somehow, I knew she’d say something like that. The entire building is silent, everyone is waiting for what shall transpire within the next few minutes. I guess it’s time to announce _it_.

         “I wasn’t born into royalty or anything,” I admit, “so I’ll try to make this short and simple. I’m not good speeches. Anyway, in response to the actions of one of my fellow party members…” I try to keep the speech as ominous and suspenseful as possible, but for good reason. “I, the Prince of Unmei, shall be the first to recognize Shinrai’s status as a knight!” Then, the guildsmen cheer. I was keeping this under wraps to add to the surprise factor. It was somewhat difficult to contact the King’s palace and the Guild without anyone noticing, but I managed without any leaks.

         “W-Webster?!” Shinrai shouts, who is dumbstruck.

         “Her loyalty has saved me several times from my own reckless actions, I admit! Without her bravery, I would surely not be standing here at this moment!” Shinrai keeps attempting to speak, but can’t. I wink at her and then face the crowd again. “Hey, old man, if you would kindly deliver _that thing_!”

         “Yup! Got it right here!” The old man who runs the Guild pulls out a wooden crate which was concealed under a table. It’s branded by the King’s army. Then, he hands it over to Shinrai.

         “W-What’s this?!” Shinrai nervously asks.

         “Just open it and see for yourself,” I reply. She carefully opens the crate after analyzing it for about a minute. The contents consist of a full set of armor crafted by the Kings Blacksmith. It’s made of metal as mine is, but it’s less thick and is lightweight. The design is also slightly different, featuring smaller parts where the joints are, to provide mobility. This, apparently, is the ideal armor for an archer.

         “Webster… I don’t deserve this.” I could’ve sworn that she used to address me as “Prince,” but I don’t pay that any mind.

         “Huh? Of course you do. And if you don’t think so, just consider it a gift from me!” I’m not sure if I could have worded that in a way that didn’t get make her face turn bright red as it currently is. Another reason would be the fact that I feel bad about how her crush is already married, but I don’t dare mention that. Instead, I smile and stay cool. I’m not even sure when this part of my personality developed.

         Instead of turning “tsun” on me, she bows and says “Thank you very much! It’s an honor to stand beside you!” I want to believe that she’s finally maturing, but it’s more likely that she doesn’t want to embarrass us in front of everyone. In fact, everyone _does_ seem a little different, except for Hikari. She’s the same masochistic knight I met over a year ago. Though, I sometimes get the feeling that she’s hiding a lot. Hopefully, I’m just overthinking.

         “Anyway, we don’t plan on sticking around. We can host the party after we return,” I announce. Truthfully, I’d love to stay, but I’m also itching to test Defiance on some monsters. I doubt there’s any monster that’s taken a lead projectile that moves almost too fast for the human eye to perceive to the head.

         “Fine, fine,” the old man complains. “Where are you kids off to?”

         “Just gonna run a quick kill bounty,” I reply. “Got anything interesting?”

         “Hmm… There should be feral demons somewhere down south. There’s a whole bunch of ‘em, so I can’t guarantee that it’ll be quick.” Demon are a separate race of humanoids. For unknown reasons, they typically reside underground, or near volcanic areas. Physically, they have bat-like wings on their backs which can appear or disappear if they will it. They commonly has vampire-like fangs, and have a strange personality similar to Ketsueki (the vampire). What separates them from Succubi is that demons are their own race while Succubi are a Spirit type.

         Feral demons, however, are much different. In fact, there exist Feral versions of every animal-like  demi-human type. Ferals are demi-humans they aren’t capable of fitting within society. Most of them are incapable of communicating or following typically human behavior. Some, however, are capable of human behavior, but are extremely sociopathic, or even psychotic. Their weakness is their lack of intelligence, so they are typically easy to outsmart.

         Currently, we are outside of the cave. Shinrai is also in her new armor which fits well on her. The cave itself is quite ordinary in appearance. It appears as if there was a set of stairs, but were worn down by erosion over time. It then strikes me that this entire cave is not a natural formation, but the very walls are greatly eroded. Demons have excellent night vision, so there’s no need for light. We, on the other hand, don’t have such a natural ability. We’ll have to rely on torches and spells to light the path.

         “Illuminate!” Tenshi chants a spell, and the cave, within a five meter radius, illuminates. I’d do the same so that we could see a larger area, but the light would overlap and become too bright.

         We descend into the cave for approximately ten minutes at walking speed. At the bottom of the cave is what looks to be a structure carved out from the stone. It almost looks like some sort of dungeon. There’s a relatively intact wall, and an open doorway. Upon examination, the structure is ancient but it’s in use. Was this structure carved out by the demons, or was it made by someone else, I wonder.

         I carefully enter the “dungeon,” but I’m quite surprised. What I thought to be a dungeon actually resembles a house. There seems to be different sections, and this is merely the entrance. There’s also what seems to be tables, chairs, and other furniture. Some of them are made of wood but other things, such as shelves, are merely carved into the walls. On the walls is what I figure to be claw marks, impacts from items being thrown, and even dry blood. It’s evident that someone lived in this place until it was taken over or abandoned.

         “...” I hear a voice coming from a doorway to the right. I ready Defiance and listen carefully. “I smell humans… Yes… Blood… fresh blood… Must feed the family…” It sounds like we’re dealing with a semi-intelligent demon.  Still, he seems a little out of it. Slowly, he makes his way into the main entrance where we are. I can see fangs, sharp nails, and wings. He has black hair, red eyes, and torn clothing. The expression on his face is sinister.

         “Hey, pal!” I attempt to speak to him. “Are you gonna attack us? I could kill you in an instant, so drop the act!” I aim Defiance at his face, but he doesn’t even seem to care. “I’m warning you!”

         “Fresh blood… Must feed… “ The demon continues rambling. _Bang!_ I fire a warning shot and hit the wall, but he doesn’t react at all. The sound has also been significantly reduced thanks to a basic enchantment performed by Tenshi.

         “Forgive me,” I whisper. I have a feeling deep within my heart that this one used to be intelligent, but somehow lost his sanity. He continues to walk towards be, breathing heavily. _Bang!_ I fire again, but successfully puncture his head. Everyone behind me gasps in awe of Defiance’s power, but I notice something else. “This is awful,” I say, while crouching down to examine this poor bastard.

         “Xeno, are you okay?” Tenshi asks.

         “This guy used to be like us, I can feel it. He didn’t deserve to live like this.” Demons are capable of being immortal as long as they are provided hydration and nutrition. There’s no telling how long this guy was down here. I did prove the power of Defiance, but I thought I’d get to shoot at a completely feral demon. Instead, I was forced to but this guy down.

         Shinrai attempts to comfort me and crouches beside me. “Webster, it’s just a demon. You don’t have to feel this bad about it.” I’m quite surprised that she didn’t call me an amateur.

         “No, this guy was human, or at least he was intelligent like us. I’ll find a way to prove it,” I promise.

         “Xeno… I-“ Tenshi was likely about to mention how she likes how caring I am before we notice a sound coming from another room. No doubt, it’s a woman, or a female demon, crying.

         “Stay behind me,” I order. We quietly navigate the “house” and pinpoint the origin of the crying. The room resembles a kitchen. There’s a countertop with a sink in the center. Above the sink are rusted pipes that likely fetched water from an aquifer. There’s also cabinets full of rotten food and plates and bowls scattered everywhere. This room, or rather the entire house, looks like it was struck by an earthquake. Undoubtedly, the mess was caused by the demons.

         The room is seemingly empty and I’m having trouble locating the source. It is definitely in this room, but I simply cannot find it. I try to breathe steadily and remain calm. However, it was quite a shock when I felt a drop of water fall from the ceiling and land on my face. I unwillingly look above me and see something straight out of a horror movie!

         “Don’t hurt her!” The demon cries, “Don’t hurt her!” She’s crawling on the ceiling like a ghost-possessed child. Just like the other one, her clothes are torn. She has red eyes, and long but messy blonde hair. I instinctively aim Defiance at her and fire a warning shot. _Bang!_ I didn’t even aim directly at her, but she jumps and lands on the ground. She even begins to take flight with her wings. “Don’t hurt her!” She cries, while lunging towards me with sharp nails pointed at me. Such an attack won’t puncture my armor, but I dodge anyway.

         “Everyone, stay back! She’s dangerous! I’ll handle her!” I’m especially concerned about Tenshi, who is the most vulnerable. She also has to witness all of this. I’d like to spare this one if I could, but she’s obviously psychotic and beyond help just as the other demon was. Though, I wonder who “her” is. _Bang!_ I fire another shot, but into her head. Instantly, she falls out of the air and her body goes limp. I decide to investigate the body.

         I place myself in a position where no one is able to see her face. The hole which the bullet has created is ugly and covered with blood. I really don’t want anyone to see it. I notice something strange on her left hand. It appears to be jewelry, specifically a ring. Now that I have seen this, I can recall seeing a ring on the other one’s hand as well, but I didn’t notice. This is enough evidence to support my hypothesis.

         “These ones were human, or at least civilized,” I repeat confidently.

         “Demons are born either one way or the other,” Hikari states. “Is there anything that that proves your thesis?”

         “Yeah, this ring,” I take it off her finger and show it to everyone. “A feral could never properly wear, let alone buy, something like this. The two that I shot must’ve been a couple.” I respectfully place the ring back on her finger, where it belongs. I also find a rag and cover her face so that the puncture isn’t visible. “Tenshi, I think-.”

         “No,” she interrupts me. I was going to mention that I’m not comfortable with Tenshi being with us in this scenario. “I told you, I won’t let you go alone anymore. So, we’ll solve this together, okay?” She knows that I can’t fight against her words.

         “Fine. Just be careful, alright? You’re last person I want to get hurt. In fact… all of you need to be careful. There’s something strange going on.” As Hikari stated, the behavior of demons is not something that can be altered, it’s just how they’re born. The chance of a demon being born feral is about fifty-fifty, and it’s unknown why this occurs. With this in mind, someone or something came down here and toyed with the minds of the demons down here and left them to die. “Light the torches and split up. I don’t hear anymore movement, but look for anything strange. Shout if you find something. Tenshi, stay with me.”

         “Okay.” She grabs my left hand and walks beside me. I can’t help but smile at her. How can she manage to be this cute under these circumstances? She smiles back at me and we continue to walk into a hallway. Hikari and Shinrai go back to the entrance room to investigate the other two room.

         The hallway splits into three rooms, including the kitchen. Firstly, I’d like to identify both of the room. I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave Tenshi on her own, so we stay together. I peek into the first unknown room and see that it’s a bedroom. There’s some personal items scattered across the floor and the bed in barely intact. In fact, it looks like a dog ripped it apart. I don’t see anything suspicious right away, so I move to the other room.

         However, this room is different from the rest of the house. There’s a wooden door, and it’s unlocked. Inside is another bedroom. There’s a lit torch mounted in the back right corner of the room. All of the furniture as in mint condition, and the room is neat. Under the torch is a girl with blonde hair, and I damaged clothing. She’s wearing all black clothing that seems a little too large for her. She’s sitting in the corner with her face in her knees. I don’t sense any hostility, but I reload Defiance and approach cautiously. “Tenshi, stay by the door,” I order.

         “Hello?” I call out to the girl, but get no response. I continue to slowly walk towards her. Eventually, I get close enough to grab her hand and get her attention. She looks up at me in curiosity. She also notices Tenshi by the door. Her red eyes nearly entrance me. She seems no older than me, and may even be a year or so younger. There’s an unchanging expression on her face. It’s blank, but it almost looks sad.

         “Momma…? Papa…?” She asks, her voice is quiet and almost childlike.

         “No, we’re not your parents, sorry.” I figure that her parents were the feral demons that I shot, so I feel bad. Still, this girl isn’t exactly normal. At least she’s showing no signs of hostility.

         “Not.. my parents…? Then… sister? Brother?” Unlike the other two, she’s capable of communication. Whatever happened here didn’t affect this girl, or at least not as much.

         “I suppose that could work. Though, one of us would an an in-law,” I joke. She doesn’t laugh, but she understands. “What are you doing here?”

         “I… lived here.”

         “Lived?” I ask. “That’s past tense.”

         “Yes,” she replies. “Because now… I’ll be living with you, Brother… and Sister-in-law.” I guess she’s smarter than she looks. Hold on, I know what she is… She identifies as one of the several “dere” types that are present in anime and other Japanese media. Shinrai is an example of a Tsundere, a character who acts coldly while their romance interest is present. Ketsueki is an example of a Yandere, a character who is willing to take drastic measures to ensure that they stay or end up with their romance interest. This girl is a less common type called “Kuudere.” The Kuudere is a character that is nearly emotionless, acts blunt and/or cynical, and is capable of forming romantic bonds. Actually, the fact that she dubbed me as “brother” and not “in-law” is quite alarming.

          “Tenshi, could you take care of her for me?” I don’t want this girl to become attached to me, so I’m trying to get out of this room before that happens. It may already be too late.

          “Right!” I think Tenshi is able to understand the situation. However, when I walk away, the girl grabs my hand and forces me to stop.

          “Brother… Please… stay with me.” It hasn’t even been five minutes and it’s already too late. Because of the unfortunate circumstances, I have no choice but to sit down next to her.

         “What’s your name?” Tenshi asks. I’m surprised that she can act this friendly to a potential home wrecker. She didn’t seem to mind Red, either, despite how she acts towards me. She shouldn’t be this passive, but being aggressive doesn’t suit her.

         “Name…? I don’t… have a name…” She continues to hold my hand and won’t allow me to pull away.

         “Xeno, what should we do?”

         “Well, the logical decision is to bring her with us! It’s certainly not right to leave her here! Come on!” I stand up and help her do so as well. She then hugs my left arm, but I can use this to my advantage. “Close your eyes while we walk, okay?” I don’t want her to see the bodies on the floor. They most likely are her parents, or were.

         “It’s okay… They were… monsters… You did… the right thing.” Slowly, but surely, she’s speaking more. I feel even worse for her because she had to secure herself in here and listen to her parents go mad. Maybe it was too much for her and that’s the reason why she’s speaking like she is. There’s one more thing we should ask her.

         “Were your parents always like this? Did something happen to them?” If something did happen, it would be easiest to ask her instead of searching for clues.

         “A girl,” she replies, “is here… She did… this.”

         “Is? As in she’s still here?!” I become alert, but I also try not to frighten the girl.

         “I… don’t know.” I quickly stand up and make my way to the other rooms, and Tenshi follows me. If the culprit isn’t over here, then she’s in one of the other rooms where Shinrai and Hikari are. If I’m too slow, one of them might end up…

        “Webster…” Shinrai says, with audible distress in her voice. I can see the tears falling from her eyes. It seem like there’s something in the room that she’s standing outside. I’ve killed two demons right in front of her without a reaction, so whatever this is must be…

         I enter the room and see a body on the ground. It’s not a corpse because it’s still moving, but whoever it is is clearly on the brink of death. She’s wearing the same armor that Hikari wears. In fact, this person shares the same hair color and style. The only difference is that her skin is much more pale, and her eyes are full in color. “Web… ster…” the voice speaks with little strength. Without a doubt, this _is_ Hikari.

         “Hikari?!” I run and crouch beside her. “Who did this to you?!” She looks like she has an illness and could pass at any moment. This was not merely some accident, she had been attacked by someone.

         “Ha… hahaha…” She begins to laugh.

         “No… Now isn’t the time for this! Come on, you have to tell me!” There’s something odd about this outburst. I know she’s extremely masochistic, but she knows when she should remain composed. It’s strange, even of her, to do this in an emergency situation.

         “Ahahaha… Ahahaha!” She keeps laughing. The sight makes my blood run cold. Suddenly, she lunges at me as if she were trying to bite my neck, but I somehow put my arms in front of me to hold her back. Despite her lack of blood, she’s surprisingly strong.  After few seconds, I notice the fangs in her mouth. How could this be? Doesn’t it take about a day for the process to complete? Maybe it depends on how much blood you’ve lost during the bite. However, I’m going to get bitten again if I get distracted like this!

         “She’s a vampire! Stop her!” I shout towards the door. I hear three sets of footsteps, which should be Shinrai, Tenshi, and… the demon child? Shinrai, being the closest, is the first to come in. She immediately grabs Hikari’s shoulders and starts pulling her away. “Be careful! She’s dangerous!”

         Tenshi and the demon child arrive about six seconds later. “Xeno!” Tenshi shouts in fear. She begins to come towards us, but I have to object to that.

         “Stop! If you get any closer, she’ll just go for you instead! Can you perform the cure spell?!” Hikari didn’t show any signs of infection prior to this event, so it shouldn’t be too late for her. She has a chance to survive.

          “R-right!” She begins to form the magic rune in the air just as she did over a year ago. When it’s ready, there’s a blinding light which makes everyone unable to see for several seconds. After our vision returns, Hikari is on the ground unconscious. We did it, but she can’t speak in this state. I can use a spell to remedy this, but it’s considered immoral because of the invasion of privacy. It could’ve been used on me, but there’s very few people who can handle the mana consumption. Miraculously, or maybe because of the Primordial, I happen to be one of those people.

         “I’m going to use _that_ spell,” I announce.

         “Are you sure?” Tenshi asks. “You might pass out.”

         “Yeah. We don’t have much of a choice unless we wait for her to wake up. _Memory Gaze!”_ I cast the spell. My vision fades.

          _The first thing I can see is a memory. It’s not my own, but I can still feel every emotion that was experienced. This memory is of childhood, a child born into Knight training. It’s very uncommon for a knight to gain their title without their proper training. Hundreds would train at a time and only about half would become actual knights. One girl, however, did not wish to become such a warrior and wished only to live a peaceful life, but this was not an option._

_I just want to go outside and see the flowers, she would think to herself. She would never try her hardest because she sought not to become a knight. All of the other children would be praised, but this girl would not be. She was isolated. Eventually, no one even cared to look at her anymore. She was merely a ghost. No one even knew that she wasn’t trying, so she was seen as a failure._

_One day during her sixteenth year, she was fed up with the way she had been treated. All the boys would make fun of her. All the girls would spread false rumors about her. Even when the adults interfered, nothing came to a stop. She had grown angry and wanted to show them that she was not a failure. She dueled with the most skillful trainees and emerged victorious. No one could surpass her speed, nor her strength._

_Still, no one cared to praise her. Everyone would clap and force a smile, but no one truly cared. She was even given Knight status, but no one truly cared. However, she did not show sadness or anger. Instead, she laughed. She laughed because she was better than everyone. They were just jerks who were just jealous of her skills._

_She believed that she had no place within the King’s army of knights, so she planned to become a deserter. The girl, now a young woman, would take bounties from the Adventuring Guild and claim that it was for training. Eventually, she would just run away. However, she was assigned to protect the Princess and the soon-to-be Prince. She would not be with the children she grew up with, but the child of the fairest King to exist. A child that is so precious, that she lives in a place far away from the palace so that she can live a peaceful life. This was not a task that she could abandon. After all, she wouldn’t have to be training at all times._

_On several occasions, she had been placed in dangerous situations. At one point, she was even held hostage by a fearsome foe who is still at large. Still, they were nothing that she couldn’t surpass. Facing these dangers seemed like a fair price for living among the Princess and Prince. She would willingly protect this couple with her life, not because she has to, but because she wants to. In fact, this couple thought highly of her and considered her a friend, not just a shield._

_No one could ever outdo her, she thought. That remained true until now. She had been investigating a strange home carved out from the planet’s stone. It was dark, dank, and dirty. The threat that resided in the House was seemingly taken care of. However, she had been isolated in a separate room while searching around. Something struck her from the shadows that even she couldn’t perceive. Not because of the darkness, but because of the sheer speed. This creature, it was…_

The image fades away suddenly as if the spell was disrupted. I can hear crying, two girls are crying. But why? The answer quickly comes to me as my vision returns. There’s blood on my hands, and it’s not my own. Hikari is still, not breathing, and with no pulse. She is already dead, and I cannot save her. The cause, a knife stuck into her neck. Just now, she had been murdered. It was so sudden that I don’t even take a moment to react emotionally. Instead, I look to wear the knife was thrown from and aim Defiance.

         “Did you think that you could kill me with your Precursor toys?” A voice speaks. This voice is familiar, but it couldn’t possibly be. “Try it,” she says with confidence. I can see the silhouette, so I aim for its head. _Bang!_ She dodges the bullet with incredible speed. “Darling! You should already know that you can’t kill me, and if you do, I’ll just come back again!”

         “Ketsueki! You killed… No, you _murdered_ my Knight! How dare you?!” I shout. I take a few breaths and try to remain calm. Being under stress in this situation could get the others killed.

         “Oh? It looks like you brought all of your friends here. That makes it a whole lot easier for me.” She seems even colder than usual. Even she used to be friendly towards me, but that friendliness is gone. Also, her body was completely incinerated during last year’s raid, so what she said about coming back seems true. Does she rise from her own ashes like a phoenix? Does she have clones? It matters not, I’ll have to put her down again and again until she learns.

         “Do you really still think you can be with me anymore? Do you really think you’re worthy of such a position?” Despite her coldness, she did call me darling again. Because she works for Seishin, she wants to assimilate me if possible.

         “Howl all you want, but one way or the other, you’ll be mine.” She then starts moving towards Tenshi, who is her “rival.” However, I won’t allow Ketsueki to even scratch Tenshi.

         “Freeze Time!” I shout, and my Spirit does as I command. I should get a better trigger phrase such as “The World,” but now isn’t the time to think of something useless like that. While time is frozen, I place myself in front of Tenshi so that she won’t be hit. However, the power becomes unstable after several seconds, before I can make an offensive move, and it disrupts. Strangely, it had no limit while I was fooling around. I’m not sure why this happened, but I (ironically) don’t have time to think.  

        “Kyaa!” Ketsueki shrieks as she charges straight into me. “We’ll do this a lot more when thing whole thing is over with,” she snickers as she lays on top of me. She quickly recovers and aims for Shinrai. Surprisingly, Shinrai ducks and moves her bow upwards as Ketsueki makes a leap for her causing her to take a hit to her stomach. The hit throws her off and forces her into a wall. Quick moves like this are exactly why I granted Shinrai knighthood… While Ketsueki is on the ground, I aim Defiance at her head from about a meter away. It would be impossible for her to dodge the next shot.

         “I’m gonna ask you a few questions, and you’re going to answer.”

         “What?” She says. “Did you think I would be afraid to die again?” True, she doesn’t have anything to lose if I shoot her. To her, it’s just a minor inconvenience. “I suppose I can tell you our plan. As much as it breaks my heart to do it, we’re going to take away everything you have. We’re going to break you. In fact, you already almost broke over a week ago.”

         That plan makes sense knowing Seishin’s goal. He wants an unstoppable force that can destroy the world, and aid him in his global conquest. If I were to go berserk, if I had absolutely nothing to lose, I could destroy entire cities. Seishin knew that, so he tried to take away Tenshi from me. Fortunately, our bond could never break, so she still remembered me, but I was very close to breaking. However, there’s one thing more dangerous than a man who has nothing to lose: a man who has everything to lose. He must fight with all of his might to protect everything.

         “I won’t let you take anything from me,” I declare.

         “What if we do, anyway?” Ketsueki snaps.

         “You won’t. Everyone, head outside. Bring… Hikari, too.” I don’t want Ketsueki trying something before I take the shot.

         “Right,” Shinrai obeys. She, Tenshi, and the demon child lift up Hikari’s body and carry it towards the entrance where we came in from. I ensure that they leave aren’t in the room before I pull the trigger. _Bang!_ She was surprisingly easy to defeat this time, but she’ll be back. She’s a vampire, so I also ensure to incinerate the body with Konton’s Dark Flame.

         “Xeno, are you okay?” Tenshi asks as she approach the exit of the cave.

         “I’m doing… just as well as you’d think… I didn’t think that she would… that Hikari…” Tears begin to flow, but Tenshi wipes them for me. This pain, the aching in my heart, I’ve felt it before. This is loss.

         “Xeno… When we get back, I’ll cheer you up, okay?” Here is Tenshi, just as sad as Shinrai and I are, but she still manages to stay positive. There’s something about it that just makes me smile. Then, something odd occurs.

         “Please, don’t cry, Brother.” The demon child grabs my arm and holds it tightly while looking directly into my eyes. She’s just as quiet as she was about twenty minutes ago, but she spoke a full fluent sentence. She really _is_ giving off a “little-sister” aura. I somehow feel responsible for her, despite how we just met.

         We carefully place the body of the knight in the ground. Her arms are crossed, and her eyes are closed. A cloth rag is placed on her neck to conceal the wound that was inflicted upon her. We silenced the culprit of this event, but she will come back. I’m not as angry as I used to get, but the fact that Ketsukei has the gall to believe she still has a chance of being with me makes my blood boil. We haven’t even avenged Hikari because Ketsueki will just come back from wherever Seishin is hiding.

         I can’t even comprehend the concept of genetically cloning a human, or at least something that resembles a human. Does it involve matching every single gene to the base subject? Is it a process similar to mitosis where each cell is duplicated? Whatever the cause it, it must be examined and destroyed to prevent it from happening again. The reason why I had the Blacksmith make only one gun is the same, such technology shouldn’t exist in this world.

         Using magic, we dug a hole into the earth, which isn’t called “Earth” anymore, and lowered Hikari into it. Another friend of mine is now dead, I remember this sadness from over a year ago. This time, it wasn’t my fault, not even indirectly. Hikari’s death can only be blamed on Ketsueki, who is unkillable until we defeat Seishin. She can die over and over again, her nutrients may even return to the ground, but she will never not be present.

         Somehow, I feel as if Seishin isn’t the only one working for his cause, the idea of one single man seeking world domination seems unlikely. What’s the chance that he wants me to join him, and that his minion lusts for me? Suddenly, I recall something that Konton mentioned when we first met. “ _Currently, I am hiding from the Society of Evil Mages!”_ If everything that she mentioned was fact, then I must ask her about that. For now, we should hold a private funeral for Hikari while we’re out here.

         Shinrai speaks first. “She… was a valuable warrior. I don’t think… our travels will be the same without her.”

         Tenshi, who is now struck by the realization that Hikari is dead, is crying. I’m holding her in my arms as we stand and providing her as much comfort as I can. It’s ironic because she is better at comforting me than I am at comforting her. She’s in no condition to speak, so I’ll do so on her behalf. “Hikari may have not been the best knight, but it’s true that her skills were unmatched. In fact, she never wanted to be a knight, she was just a child who wanted freedom. That freedom… never came until we showed appeared her life. I know this, because I saw it for myself in her memories. We brought her happiness, and brought her as close to her dream as possible. However, her efforts as a knight are irrelevant, because I, because we, saw her as something more than just a knight. She was our friend. Her life was tragically stolen from us, and I swear that I will do everything in my power to avenge her. I will have have our enemy know that we will not step down until this world, until the lives our all of our friends, are safe.”

         “Xeno…” Tenshi finally turns around and looks at me. She’s still being held within my arms. “You said that you’re not good at giving speeches, but…” She wraps her arms around me and places her head against mine. “...that’s not true… at all!” She continues crying and holds me tight. Not only am I dealing with this loss, but it still hurts to see Tenshi cry. She’s a precious angel who doesn’t deserve to experience this sadness. All she wants is me, and all of our friends, to be happy. There’s no one more fit to be a princess than my Tenshi.

         Now, there is a grave outside of what used to be a cave. To mark the grave is the same sword that was used by the knight herself, stuck into the ground like Excalibur. There’s also a stone that I carved using magic. It reads, “Here lies the body of an skillful warrior and an irreplaceable friend.” Due to the condition of the cave, we tried our best the block it off with stone and even cave in the entrance. Even if that version of Ketsueki was still alive, she wouldn’t be getting out. Tenshi also ensured with her blessings that the corpses won’t resurrect. I’m not entirely sure how zombies could even exist, but I digress. No one will find the bodies of the demon child’s parent, either. Speaking of her, she needs a name. I feel like a parent naming their first born child…

         “She’s nameless, huh…? Nameless… Nameless…”

         “Xeno…? What are you saying…?” Tenshi is exhausted more than anyone else. I wonder if she still would come with us if she knew what would happen…

         “You’re right next to me, silly. How could you not hear? Anyway, that girl,” I look at the demon child who is following us, “she doesn’t have a name, and we just caved in her home.”

         “I think we should… bring her home.” Tenshi might actually pass out. She really is like a child, passing out after crying.

         “Yeah, we got most of those storage rooms converted into bedrooms. There’s like ten of them now… Say, do you want me to carry you?”

         “Will you?” She asks.

         “If you want me to,” I reply. Then, I stop and allow her to climb on my back. Without any hesitation, she mounts. She’s not as heavy as I thought she would be. Of course, she begins to falls asleep.

         “Xeno… You’re such a good prince,” she giggles before closing her eyes.

         After some time, we arrive back at the Guild. Tenshi is currently resting at an inn, and she’ll probably come by when she wakes up. I promised a party, but the mood isn’t quite right. After all, one of our allies was killed in action. Everyone seems to sense it, so no one speaks up until the Old man does.

         “Hey, kids. What the hell happened down there?” He asks.

         “We were attacked by a vampire. She was hiding in the demon nest. She… She killed our knight. The Princess passed out, so I dropped her off at an inn.”

         “And who’s the new girl?”

         “We found her in that nest, she’s actually a demon. She’s sane, unlike the others. Also, she thinks I’m her brother.”

         “Sounds like you kids had it rough.... Want a drink? It’s on me,” the old man offers.

         “No, I don’t really like alcohol.”

         “Some guy dropped it off and said it was for occasions like this. Are you sure?”

         “Fine, if you insist…” The old man fetches is a couple pitchers of some sort of alcoholic beverage. If it really is brewed specifically for occasions like this, then I can’t really deny the opportunity to try it. Though, alcohol is just alcohol. How could you possibly brew a beer for any specific occasion? Well, it’s not like I have much knowledge on the subject, so I won’t question it.

         Shinrai drinks sparingly as if she has no interest in getting drunk. I can’t say that I don’t understand. The nameless child sits beside us, but is only drinking water. I, however, am taking this opportunity to my advantage. The liquid has a unique flavor that I can’t resist. For a moment, I could’ve sworn that I saw Hikari drinking beside us and laughing in a drunken state. Was it a hallucination or an illusion from my double vision? I’ll never know. The “sight” makes me want to drink even more.

         However, I can’t hold my liquor very well. Before I know it, I’m blackout drunk. I don’t even remember how long we were in the Guild, or how much I drank. By the time I wake up, I’m not even in the Guild anymore and my head feels like it was split right in half with a rusty axe. My vision and my hearing aren’t on point either. As my vision slowly returns, I can’t make out a dark room with strange, unrecognizable things in the corners. Wait, where even am I? Did I up and leave while I was drunk?!


	14. Endure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ketsueki finally managed to get her hands on Webster. His allies are unaware of his location, so help won’t arrive as soon as he wants it to. What will happen to him?

Chapter 14, “Endure”

 

         After some time, my vision clears, but I still feel a little sick. I’m in a room that’s dimly lit by wall-mounted torches. The walls are dark, almost black, in color. This architecture feels familiar. Everything is almost alien, polished, smooth… I’m not sure what material it is, though it resembles marble, but I do know for a fact that this is Seishin’s lair. This room specifically must be about four by four meters large. Also, judging by the looks of this room, this must be some sort of torture room. I also know because my arms are chained by my wrists to the wall!  Because of this, I am kneeling in front of the wall facing toward the exit. The chains are long enough so that I can maybe scratch my head, but otherwise they suspend in the air and restrict my movement. 

         Miraculously, I still have my armor on and I am unharmed for now. I need to consider my options in this scenario… Calling out seems like suicide because it’s no as if I’m in the middle of a town or anywhere my allies would be. This is enemy territory, and I’m their prisoner. Who will tend to me, I wonder. Seishin or Ketsueki? It might be best if I get tortured by Seishin, because even I am afraid of what Ketsueki might do to me now that I am alone and vulnerable. This headache of mine is only hindering my ability to think, so I should wait and see who shows up.  

         Before I fall asleep from boredom, someone appears in the doorway. She wears a black cloak and has a knife sheathed by her hip. Undoubtedly, it’s Ketsueki. I stare at her with no fear. I feel a smug aura as stares back at me. She has the opportunity to kill me, torture me, or even take me for herself. It might be best if she just kills me. 

         “Kill you?” She says, as if she read my mind. That’s actually a possibility considering Seishin’s abilities. “No, there’s still hope you for. My Master intends to assimilate you into our group. He said that I can do whatever it takes…” 

         “Whatever it takes, huh?” If she claims to be in love with me, that we are destined to me, than I doubt she’ll be willing to harm me directly. In fact, that would just prove my point that she’s a monster. A monster like her could never know true love. 

         “You think I wouldn’t hurt you? Oh, I don’t know about that… I’m a vampire, after all. I’d love to drain you if your blood, but it’s still full of alcohol…” Now that she mentioned it, it was awfully convenient that I was drunk enough to blackout and get get myself kidnapped. Is that old man actually part of this group?

         “That old man did this, didn’t he? Huh… he always gets me into trouble.”

         “Oh, you mean the guild’s manager?” Ketsueki laughs, I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be  _ with _ or  _ at  _ me. “We only gave him the drinks. We played him like an instrument!” Her statement shocks me. Numerous times, that guy has recommended that I clear out specific dungeons only for me to run into something of importance. He also hired Hikari to train me, who was then assigned to guard Tenshi and I. It’s almost as if he knows when things are going to happen and when he should make me take action. It’s likely just a coincidence, but it is still strange. 

         “Anyway, what are you gonna do to me? You can’t force me to do anything.” I’d expect to be blackmailed, but it seems that I’m the only one here. Perhaps it was because Tenshi was peacefully resting at an inn while I was walking about in a drunken state. It appears that falling asleep has made her luck increase. Also, I haven’t seen her drink alcohol even once, so I doubt she would have drank. Shinrai might have also been spared because she was drinking lightly. Just my luck. 

         “Just because our first plan didn’t go according to plan, that doesn’t mean we don’t have something else in mind. You’re still here, and that’s all we need,” Ketsueki attempts to make me feel hopeless. Somehow, I can’t help but laugh.

         “No, bringing only me here was your second mistake. The first; thinking I’d work for you.” I don’t even feel fear anymore because I know that eventually I will be broken free of these chains. In fact, I know exactly what would happen. Tenshi would become aware of my absence and alert the guards. Then, she would likely assemble some adventurers and they would all come and rescue me. After all, someone of my status going missing will stir some trouble. 

         “Darling? Why do you insist that you’ll be saved? Are you still drunk?”

         “What? No, that’s not it. I know as a fact that-.” I get interrupted as I speak.

         “Hmm… You just need to sleep. Yes, just… sleep…” My vision becomes foggier with each passing second. My eyelids are becoming heavy and difficult to keep open. Despite my state, I wasn’t even feeling any exhaustion. This must be the work of a spell. Now that I’m in their possession, there’s no telling what they’ll do to me or what kind of curses they’ve put on me already. In fact, it’s probably futile to summon my Spirit or Konton due to Seishin’s nullify. However, I can have Red lift it for me again when I escape. All I have to do is endure. 

* * *

  
  


         “Xeno… Xeno…?” Tenshi wakes up in an unfamiliar place, but the architecture resembles that of the nearby city. She remembers that she passed out while on the back of Xeno. He must’ve left her at an inn while returning to the Guild. It's some time in the afternoon, it will be evening in only a couple hours. She must find him now that she’s awake, she thinks to herself. She decided to contact whoever is running the inn. 

         “Hello?” 

         “Oh, m’Lady! You’re awake!” The woman behind the counter exclaims. 

         “Right, have you seen Xeno?” Tenshi asks her.

         “Xeno? Ah, you must mean the Prince! Yes, he said that he was going to the Adventuring Guild.” 

         “Thank you very much!” Tenshi hurries outside and immediately heads towards to Guild. 

         When she arrives, the guild’s manager, John, is waiting outside. He seems as if he has something to say, so Tenshi approaches him. “The Archer and that other girl are inside. I don’t got a damn clue where the Prince went,” he says without hesitation. 

         “What do you mean?” Tenshi asks. “Is he not here?” 

         “He left a little while ago. The kid can’t hold his liquor even a little bit.  I think the alcohol went straight into his head, y’know?” Trouble stirs whenever Xeno becomes drunk, so finding him is a priority.  

         “Right, thank you!” Again, Tenshi darts off to the exit. This time, she’s leaving the entire city instead of an inn. Xeno doesn’t go to many different places, so it’s logical to believe he went straight home. Even if he passed out on the way, it’s inevitable that Tenshi would encounter him. There is still a slight possibility that he wandered elsewhere, but it’s unlikely. 

          As she walks along the roads, she encounters many unfamiliar faces. Merchants, adventurers, businessmen, travelers, etcetera. Each of them greet the young Princess with kindness and affection as they pass. It’s almost as if the entire country is her own family. To her, her only family is Xeno. Of course, she cares about her mother and father, who are the King and Queen, but she doesn’t see them much. In fact, her mother has already left to return to the city which she works in. She always thought it to be strange that she works there instead of the King’s palace, but business is business. 

         Now she encounters three individuals that seem to be familiar. It’s been over a week since she last saw them, but it’s, undoubtedly, them. Lance, Blue, and Red are walking the opposite direction. Since they didn’t decide to stay at the mansion despite the addition of more bedrooms, they are likely staying at an inn in the city. They’re still wearing their leather armor, so they must have been up to something for the past several days. 

         “Excuse me!” Tenshi approaches the trio. They immediately stop walking to engage in conversation. “Have you seem Xeno?” They seem puzzled for a moment, but Lance speaks up.

         “You mean that guy you’re always with? No, sorry.” 

         “My Precursor specimen,” Red also speaks. “That’s rather odd. I can only pick up his scent off of you. I should be able to track him…” She continues to sniff the air like an animal. 

         “Perhaps he is waiting for you at home,” Blue suggests. Her tone is just as emotionless as usual. It reminds Tenshi of the nameless demon child who was with Shinrai and Xeno. Would she be alright with Shinrai, Tenshi wonders. 

         “Hmm…. Well, I hope so!” Tenshi’s optimism shines brightly. 

         “Well, we’ll be staying at the city. Come by the inn district if you need something,” Lance says while beginning to walk away. “See you later!” 

         All three of them wave their right hand at Tenshi as they continue down the road. Tenshi smiles at them as they disappear into the horizon. Just as their personalities suggest, they are friendly. Aside from that, it’s obvious that they are up to something. What reason do they have for not residing in the mansion? Perhaps they would feel indebted, and merely want to stay at an inn. Despite this, Tenshi continues to walk down the road. 

         Finally, Tenshi returns homes. “Xeno! I’m home!” Tenshi shouts, hoping for a response. However, what she sees makes her become anxious. There is no activity in the house besides the movement of Fu, who is alone in his enclosure. The bathroom is bubbling with no one in it, the kitchen is empty, and every other room is the same. Suddenly, there’s a silhouette of a person in the corner of Tenshi’s vision. 

         “Master has not yet returned home,” the maid speaks. It’s almost as if she wasn’t even here until just now. 

         “Oh… Then… I’ll just leave something in the table for him!” If he hasn’t returned yet, then he should within some time. It’s getting late, and it’s dangerous for him to wander at night. After all, there are some strange people after him. Tenshi doesn’t completely understand his situation, but she’s aware that they have ill intentions. 

         “Right.” 

         On the table is a plate of food. As usual, everything in the plate are all foods that are unaffordable for most people. There’s steak, rice, and a salad consisting of both vegetables and fruits. Tenshi always ensures that each plate is diverse and healthy. Health is also important for Xeno’s sake because he’s always out doing something and the last thing he needs is a malnourished body. Of course, she gives equal treatment to the house pet, Fu, but without meat due to his herbivore diet. Beside the plate is a candle to illuminate the area because it’s now some time in the evening. However, the candle would burn out before anyone would sit down to eat. 

         It is now morning. The sun is shining, and the birds who live in the hedges and nearby trees are singing. The sunlight that passes through the window reaches Tenshi’s face. It’s warm and comfortable, but it’s also shining on her eyes which makes it difficult to keep the, shut. She begins to open them, and blinks to clear her vision. She reaches out her left hand to grab the right hand of her beloved Prince who should be beside her, but she only finds the bed sheets. Alarmed, she turns her head to the left side of the bed and sees nothing. 

         “Xeno…” She removes herself from the bed, quickly finds her mage robes, and applies a perfume. She has no time to take a bath, so the scent should mask any dirtiness. “Xeno!” Tenshi also can’t leave the house without tending to Fu, who can’t get food for himself. With haste, she tracks down the maid. 

         “Please, take care of Fu! I have to go! I don’t know when I’ll be back!”

         “Right, Mistress. Do not stress, I shall obey your word. I only ask that you do not put yourself in harm’s way. Master would be upset, just like you would be,” the maid replies.

         “Thank you very much!” The maid has assured Tenshi that she shall take care of feeding Fu, which is usually Tenshi’s responsibility, so there are no worries on that end. Knowing this, Tenshi quickly makes her way outside. Where would Xeno go, she wonders. Where would a drunken adventurer, who also happens to be the Prince, go? Tenshi remembers what Lance told her yesterday, that they’ll be in the city if she needs them. Of course, she should head to the city, but there’s not enough time to walk.

_ “Guardian Angel!”  _ Tenshi shouts. In an instant, a pair of white, feathery wings unfurl from back. A golden halo manifests above her head. This is her Spirit, something that she has yet to show Xeno. The wings aren’t merely for show, they are capable of lifting Tenshi’s body off the ground. She utilizes this ability and flies above the ground by a couple meters. Within ten seconds, she reaches a speed of approximately fifty kilometers per hour. Now she can reach the city in merely minutes. 

         She slows herself down before the front gate to avoid attracting attention. The guards may question why she is using her Spirit, so it’s best to avoid being seen. Of course, they still see her running, so it’s only natural that they interfere so that they may provide help. “Excuse me, Mistress!” One of the guards shout as she approaches them. “Do you need our assistance?” 

         She stops for a moment to reply. “Maybe! I’ll contact the other guards if there’s an emergency!”  

         “Understood!” The guard resumes his duties and Tenshi continues to run into the city. 

         She continues to run through the city, not making eye contact with anyone. It’s difficult to prevent attracting attention, so she tries to run along the roads that aren’t as populated. As she runs, she can see the Guild’s manager stare at her from the corner of her vision. His expression is strange, almost as if he knows something’s wrong. Of course, seeing the Princess in distress is quite alarming. Eventually, she makes her way to the inn district. 

         “Oh, it’s you again!” Luckily, Lance, Red, and Blue are outside, and appear to be heading somewhere. “Did you need something?” Lance asks. 

         “Yes! Xeno… he’s missing!” Tenshi is panicking and is nearly shouting. 

         “Calm down, missus.” There’s a mysterious grin on Lance’s face that reminds Tenshi of a predator cornering it’s prey. “We just happen to know exactly where he might be. Stay behind us, alright? We don’t plan on letting you hurt yourself!” 

* * *

  
  


         I wake up in a dark room. The only light that is in the room comes from candles, but it has to be morning by now. Why is it so damn dark, I wonder. Oh, I see. The curtains are shut to the point where very little, if even any, light is able to pass through. They are made of some material that completely absorbs the light and doesn’t allow any to pass through. It’s hard to see with just this candlelight, so I decide to get up and open the curtains. Before I move even a meter away from the bed, a hand snatches my own. 

         “Darling, you know I don’t like it when the curtains are open,” the voice of a woman speaks. 

         “Oh… Why not?” I ask her.

         “It seems you still are asleep. I suppose I can remind you; it gets too bright in here. It hurts my eyes.” 

         “Oh…” The fact that she doesn’t like the curtains open returns to my mind. “Right, sorry.” 

         This morning is nothing special, though it’s not as if I don’t enjoy every moment I spend with  _ her. _ The woman who was sleeping beside me is my wife, who I married several months ago. Despite our recent marriage, K҉ȩţ̴͢s̡̡u͝e͡k̴̕͟i̶ and I have been living together for about a year. I still remember the day we met… 

         It was just about over a year ago. I was investigating the whereabouts of a strange individual stalking a village. Eventually, I tracked them down in an abandoned house. Inside, I found Ketsueki and I̸ ̛̕s̶͜a̶͝v͠e̛d̨ ̕͜h͜e̢r ̛́f̶̛͡r̛o̧͟͞m ́͞a̛͘ǹ͟ ͘inş̨a̴̷n͢ę̢ ̧́͝m͠͏̢ag̛i̷̢̢ć͠i̵͝ą͢n who planned to destroy the village. In the end, the village was destroyed, but I still saved Ketsueki. Since then, she has helped me deal with the guilt of being responsible for failing to save the village. Because of her kindness, I even fell in love with her and was fortunate enough to learn that our feelings were mutual. 

         I’ve learned that Ketsueki is kind on the outside, but is slightly sadistic. Her sadism does not apply to me, or people we don’t know. Instead, she likes to mess with people who tend to flirt with me, despite my relationship status. She also is an indoors person. It’s very evident as shown by her pale skin. I’d love to see her with a tan, but she insists that she stays indoors. I swear, she must be a vampire. 

         However, I feel odd today. It feels as if there’s something wrong with this, despite how long we’ve been living here. There’s something telling me that I should hate Ketsueki, that I should abandon her, but I also love her. I can’t just betray her over an unknown emotion. No, it’s not just an unknown emotion. I know I’m forgetting something important, but I don’t know what it is. 

         “Darling? Are you alright?” Ketsueki is now in front of me. I guess I was spacing out. 

         “Yeah, I’m fine, I think I just need a bath.”

         “Is that so? You look nervous. Say, you aren’t cheating on me are you?” 

         “What?!” I don’t know why she’d even bring up a question like that. I don’t have the moral strength to do such a thing. In fact, I wouldn’t even be polygamous if Ketsueki allowed me to. Aside from the morality, I don’t have any reason to cheat. I am content, to put it mildly, with being with Ketsueki. Though, I do feel that something is missing. “You know I wouldn’t, silly.” 

         She briefly laughs at me. “I know, I know. I’m just teasing you! I’ll make you breakfast while you’re in the bath!” 

         “Right!” I immediately decide to head for the bathroom, but… where is it again? Oddly, I don’t remember its location, or even the layout of the entire house. It would be awkward to ask Ketsueki, so I wander around until I find it. The room is no larger than most of the other rooms, but I could’ve sworn that it was larger. Sheesh, I must’ve hit my head really hard in my sleep last night. 

         I lower myself into the bath, which is heated by some sort of magic. As usual, it’s extremely comfortable. I then notice something on my left hand, a ring. That in itself isn’t unusual, but I can sense something odd. I rotate my hand and view the ring from every possible angle. It’s not like it’s cursed or anything, but there’s just something about it that I can’t point out. As I stare at it, wondering what’s exactly is odd about it, a memory begins to play before my eyes almost as if I were wearing a virtual reality headset.  

         There’s a girl in front of me. Her hair is silver, almost white, like a spider’s silk. Her eyes are blue, as blue as the ocean, or maybe even the sky. The expression on her face is unforgettable, pure joy. Her smile is bright as sunshine and warms my very soul. The mere sight of her makes my heart beat faster than any animal could run. I notice that she’s not merely in front of me, but she’s hugging me as tightly as possible. This is the type of hug that indicates the unification of a couple, not something that should be taken as a mere greeting. I remember this moment, for it was when Tenshi finally admitted her love and even gave me a ring that matched her own. She opens her mouth and a single phrase repeats itself over and over again, “ _ Xeno, I love you _ !”

         “Tenshi… I love you, too!” I say out loud, while my left hand reaches towards the ceiling. I remember now, I remember that I love Tenshi. She’s the only one I  _ could  _ love, and we will always be together until the day we die of age. The fact that I was even illuded to believe Ketsueki was the one I love is absolutely pathetic, even if I had no control over the situation. However, if I do anything rash, I’ll be caught and likely subjected to a more power spell. For now, all I have to do is endure the situation and wait for an opportunity. It’s only a matter of time before Tenshi finds out I’m gone. 

         Now that my mind is free, I must be careful. Ketsueki may still assume that I’m under her influence, but she could easily look into my mind and tell that I’m faking. It’s strange that I have to watch what I say, and even think, but I must be cautious. A voice brings me back to reality. “Darling, Darling! It’s ready!” Ketsueki shouts from behind the door. 

         “R-Right! I’ll be out in a moment!” Like the bath at home, this bath is constantly circulating water so I don’t have to worry about draining it or anything. I carefully dry myself with a towel and put on a change of clothes. I discard my worn clothes in a pile that I’ll pick up later. Actually, these aren’t even my clothes, but one of several outfits that Ketsueki must’ve prepared for me. The fact that Ketsueki changed me while I was unconscious is actually quite creepy. I don’t even want to know how much she saw, let alone everything she did. 

         A familiar smell fills my nostrils as I find the kitchen. I know for a fact that I’ve smelled this before, but I can’t pinpoint what it is. Only when I finally enter the kitchen, I remember. “Oh, rice omelette again!” Of course, there’s a heart drawn with ketchup on it. 

         “Again?” Ketsueki asks, with a confused expression. Her face indicates that we have not, at least not together, had rice omelette before. I have to fix this situation in a jiffy or else I’ll be dead. Would Ketsueki even kill me? Well, there no time to wonder!

         “Oh… I think I had a dream the other night. Sheesh, I’m mixing up dreams with reality!” 

         “Oh!” Ketsueki briefly giggles in a manner similar to Tenshi. Did she gaze through my mind and adjust her personality to my liking? “I do that all the time! Well, don’t forget to eat your breakfast, silly!”

          I sit down as she suggests and take a fork and knife. “Thank you for the meal,” I say before digging into the omelette with my fork. The flavor explodes in my mouth. “This is pretty good!” I admit, but Tenshi’s is better. No one can outdo Tenshi. 

         “Of course it is! It’s made with *love!*” Ketsueki says, emphasizing “love” in a strange way. I force a smile but try to hide the “force.”

         “Well, I’d expect nothing less from you.” 

         She laughs again and hugs me for about several seconds. “Darling! I love you!”

         “I love you, too,” I manage to reply. Tenshi, where are you? 

* * *

  
  


         “What in the hell…?” The doors open, but there’s nothing inside. There’s not a single person or even any equipment. Of course, if your secret laboratory was raided, it’s no longer a secret. “Look’s like they moved out of here,” Lance sighs. What used to be Seishin’s base of operations, the birthplace of Lance, Red and Blue, is now empty. The wall mounted torches are all burned out and there’s no heat remaining. Soon, mold, fungus, and bacteria will inhabit the area. 

         Red sniffs the air several times once more. Her animal-like senses should be able to track scents and hear certain things from distances that no ordinary human could. “They’re not in hiding. This is certainly a peculiar situation.” 

         “Analysis; Prince Shugosha was kidnapped and held here temporarily until he, and all of the laboratory equipment, was transported elsewhere. This event occurred approximately seven hours ago.” 

         “Xeno… Xeno…” Tenshi wanders, seemingly mindlessly, into another room. Only after a moment does Lance notice, and then follows. The young Princess is crouching in front of a wall, and appears to be observing something. 

         “Hey, make sure you don't go wandering off next time. That was dangerous, ma’am.” 

         “Oh! That’s not necessary! You can just call me Tenshi!”

         “Right, well… did you find something?” Lance figures that Tenshi wouldn’t recklessly wander into a potentially dangerous room. She’s a young adult, and is the daughter of the King. Lance also knows to never underestimate a woman who is separated from her beloved. 

         “Yes. Xeno was here, I can feel it.” Red and Blue enter the room. 

         “You mean the Prince was here?” Lance observes the room which is illuminated by Tenshi’s light. On the walls are words written with an unknown substance. The messages are quite disturbing to the people who have entered to the room.  _ Ketsueki, I Love Ketsueki, Love, Love, Love…  _ The words spread along the walls and the floor. It’s clear that someone toyed with Webster’s mind, and even broke him. 

         “The side effects of forcefully altering memories…Never gets easier to see.” 

         “You’ve seen this before?” Asks Tenshi to Lance, who is disgusted and disturbed at the sight as herself and Red. Blue, unlike the others, shows no reaction and is analyzing the room further. 

         “Yeah,” he replies. “Usually, the process is quick and smooth but people who manage to resist go hysterical. Something about not knowing which memories are real, I guess.” 

         “I don’t remember such a scary thing happening to me,” Tenshi says, remembering when Seishin had fooled her.

         “Hmm… I doubt you’d let such precious memories fade away, so you must’ve had a strong mental resistance. We’re talking about altering memories, so you wouldn’t even remember it.” 

         “Oh…” 

         “Anyway, they aren’t here. I’m actually surprised they didn’t arm the place with traps. Let’s check out that other place.” 

         “Other place?” Tenshi is clueless, but she assumes the three of them have a lead. 

         “That’s right. A while ago, maybe a week, we found some house that was guarded pretty heavily. Recently, all of the guards just didn’t go to their posts. We asked around and no one said they remembered guarding the place. Seems pretty suspicious, right?” 

         “Oh, I see! They tried to hide, but you’ve found them out because you know about the guards!” Tenshi doesn’t yet remember that she was the one to order the lockdown. That memory was not very significant to her, even after finding bodies in the basement, so it’s still locked in her brain for now. That would soon change.

         “Let’s get going!”

* * *

 

 

         “Alright, I think I’m going to head outside for a bit. Maybe I’ll take a walk,” I say, but I’m really just making an excuse to get outside. If I could contact a guard and tell him about my situation, I’ll be saved. I could try to deal with it myself, but it’s likely that my Spirit is being nullified. That being said, I can’t summon Konton either. Otherwise, I’ll have to wait for Tenshi to find me. If I’m lucky, I might just encounter Shinrai.

         “Darling, I don’t think… that’s a good idea,” Ketsueki speaks with a strange tone. Not of suspicion, or of anger, but of concern. She genuinely doesn’t think it’s a good idea for me to go outside. What reason could she have, I wonder.

         “This house is packed… I need some fresh air.” Escaping is my priority while I have the opportunity. It’s not like we’re in the middle of nowhere. In fact, I can occasionally hear the people outside as they pass by, so we must be in the city. If she has a valid reason for me to not leave, then I shall consider that an obstacle. 

         “Oh… It’s… supposed to be hot today. I don’t want you to get sunburned or pass out from heat stroke!” The way she speaks indicates that she just made that up on the spot. Maybe there’s something that she’s not telling me, but I’ll find out for myself. 

         “Don’t worry, some radiation from the sun won’t kill me. It’s not like I’m going to be blasted with gamma rays or X-rays. I can withstand some UV.” Does she even know that x-rays and gamma rays are hazardous? Well, I don’t really care about how much my enemy knows about unimportant subjects. 

         “Please, just stay inside. There’s been a heatwave.” Ketsueki is getting desperate. Knowing how much she “loves” me does concern me a little. If I were to walk into danger, of course she would want to stop me. My only question is what danger awaits outside. It’s logical to think that she doesn’t want me to contact the guards, or Shinrai who may or may not live nearby, but she is unaware that I’ve been broken free of the memory altering spell. 

         “I’ll be fine! Trust me!” Of course, when I say “trust me” I plan on tattling on her. It’s a cowardly move on my end, but I have to do something. Then, I open the door. 

         “Darling!” Ketsueki shouts in distress from behind me as I step outside. The first couple steps are in the shade, safe from the sun’s radiation.  _ The temperature isn’t so bad _ , I think to myself. In fact, the temperature is pretty average for this season. What Ketsueki said about a heat wave seems to be a complete lie, as I already knew. 

        However, things change the moment my skin is exposed to the sun’s light. Normally, the sun’s light is pleasantly warm on a day like this. The flora flourish via photosynthesis, and people might even sit outside for a tan. The people in the distance, who don’t seem to notice me, don’t feel anything unusual so there’s almost no reason for  _ me  _ to feel anything unusual.  **_Almost_ ** _.  _

         “Ack!” My skin burns intensely where it’s exposed. I’ve gotten pretty bad sunburns before, but this is different. It feels like I’ve been tossed into an oven, like I’m being cooked alive. What is this? What the hell is wrong with me?

         Someone grabs me from behind, pulls me back in, and shuts the door. “I told you it was a bad idea!” Ketsueki is panicking, and even tearing up. She really believes that she’s in love with me, and I admire her devotion. That is the only thing I’ll admire about her, for she is my foe. “Come on, I heal you!” She picks me up and carries me to the bedroom as I pass out from the pain. I guess some ultraviolet rays  _ did  _ nearly kill me, after all. 

         I wake up once more. How many times have I passed out like this? I can’t count at this point. I’d rather be with Tenshi than Ketsukei at the moment, but at least she healed me up. She really is a normal girl when she’s not out looking for blood (literally, in the case of a vampire). “What even happened…” I ask weakly. 

         “You must’ve passed out from heat stroke,” she responds. It’s not very comforting knowing that she’s lying, 

         “No, I barely even went outside. It doesn’t get hot enough around here for anyone to pass out the very second they step outside.” 

         “Darling, do you remember our honeymoon?” Ketsueki speaks calmly, still trying to comfort me. I’m not sure how to answer considering the fact that I have discarded all of the false memories that have been given to me.

         “I…” Saying the wrong thing may get me in trouble. My honeymoon with Tenshi was to a hot springs because Tenshi wanted me to relax. At that point, I still blamed myself for an accident, which was only an accident, Konton’s death. I’m going to assume that Ketsueki simply erased Tenshi’s presence and replaced it with her own. I won’t mention any specifics until she confirms it. “Honestly, I don’t remember a whole lot of it.” 

         “Oh… In that case, I’ll say it to you again.  _ We will be together forever. Not even death will do us apart. _ ” 

         “What does that imply?” I ask her. I am genuinely clueless. 

         “I’ll remind you. We’re immortal. Our love is forever.” 

         “You mean, we’re vampires or something?” Being immortal and being vulnerable to sunlight would be symptoms of vampirism, so that’s the first thing to come to my mind. 

         “That’s right, Darling. Say, do remember our  _ first time _ ?” Dammit, she gave me vampirism so that I’m not able to go outside! I could try to sneak out at night, but that would seem awfully suspicious. On a side note. Ketsueki is practically on top of me. I’m laying on the bed, so I’m completely vulnerable if she decides to make a move. 

         “First time? You mean,  _ that _ ? No, I don’t remember.” I have to change the subject of the conversation before this takes a turn for, in my opinion, the worse. What could I even say? It seems that Ketsueki is in her “violent mode,” but there’s no telling what she’ll do when we’re alone. Tenshi, please forgive me for what is about to happen if I can’t find a way to stop it! 

         “Exactly… How about we do it here and now? I’ve been waiting so long…” At this point, I’m sure she’s not only mimicking Tenshi’s personality, but even some of her actions. Maybe she saw my memories and picked out some that she wanted to reenact. 

         “Ketsueki…” How do I convince a love sick vampire that I’m not interested? “I’m sorry, but…. I’m… not in the mood. Maybe some other time, okay?” 

         “Oh, that’s rather disappointing, but if that’s what you want… Making me wait even longer, what a jerk!” Ketsueki jokes at me. Then, she rolls beside me on the bed. Good grief, I somehow managed to escape that situation. Looks like I won’t be getting an earful from Tenshi. 

         Even though it’s the middle of the day, I can’t help but begin to fall asleep. It’s not like there’s much to do inside this house. Unless I sneak out at night, there’s no way for me to get my vampirism cured. In fact, I’m not even sure how much time I have left before the cure spell is ineffective. How would Tenshi react if my vampirism developed to that point? She would never want to kill me, so maybe she would want me to take her blood and infect her as well. 

_ Bang!  _ The door suddenly slams open, causing me to immediately sit upright. Ketsueki jumps out of bed, grabs her knife out of a drawer, and heads for the entrance. If I could find a weapon while she’s distracted, I could definitely “sneak” behind her and take her out. It’s a coward’s move, but I have to live for Tenshi’s, and this entire country’s, sake. 

        “Ketsueki! Who is it?!” I have to sound like I’m still under her memory altering spell or else I’ll seem suspicious.

         “I-It’s nobody!” She shouts. “Just stay back there!” As she turns around, I check the other drawers for any other weapons. Of course, she didn’t happen to leave my gun anywhere, so I end up empty handed. Then, a thought comes to my mind.  _ The Kitchen _ . I quietly make my way to the kitchen and search for a knife. This time, I succeed. 

         Because I was in a rush, I didn’t listen in on the conversation by the door. Now that I have to make my way there, the voices are getting louder. There’s one voice of a guy, it seems familiar, and then there’s Ketsueki. 

         “You’re just rejects… You’re supposed to be dead! Why couldn’t you have just stayed dead?! You ruined everything!” Ketsueki is shouting. Her tone is a mix of both anger and sadness. Just how much does she love me? 

         “I told you, already. Your feelings for him aren’t real. If you want to see  _ real  _ love, just take a good look at this girl here.” I can’t see he’s pointing to, but it must be… Tenshi? The man mentioned a “him,” so that must be me. Besides  _ maybe  _ Shinrai, I can’t think of anyone who would show “real love” for me. 

         “They are real to me!” She screams in anger and then there’s a sound that I can only imagine to be her attempting to attack him. 

         “Your Master’s just using you! You’re just a tool!” As I peak at the door, I can see Ketsueki fighting Lance, who I haven’t seen for a while. With incredible reflexes and agility, Lance is using his spear to parry the knife. I could imagine him doing that against a sword, but a knife is just ridiculous. Due to her speed, Ketsueki isn’t even giving Lance a chance to attack. Red and Blue are behind him, ready to support him if they need to, but Lance is holding out for now. As I suspected, Tenshi is with them. How did they even find me? Suddenly, Tenshi notices me and looks wide-eyed. I show her the knife and with my other hand a put a finger in front of my mouth to gesture her to be quiet. 

         Carefully, I approach the door. If I even cause a board to squeak, my plan will be foiled. Fortunately, I’ve always been light on my feet. My heart rate increases with each step I take. I can imagine multiple ways that this can go wrong. If Ketsueki is forced to turn around, I’ll be spotted. If I slip on something and fall, I’ll be spotted. If I sneeze, I’ll be spotted. When I manage to shorten the distance between Ketsueki and I to about a meter, I take a breath before taking action. Then, I leap forward and stab the knife into the back of her neck. Blood immediately begins to flow from the wound. It’s a horrible sight, even if it’s my enemy. 

         At first, she doesn’t even seem to notice, but then she slows down and slowly turns back at her before falling on her knees. “Da… Darling…” Tears begin to fall from her eyes and blood fills her mouth. “Wh… Why… would… you…?” She falls forward before she can finish her sentence. I check for breathing or for a pulse, but there’s nothing. She won’t be waking up, but she’ll be “reborn” again.

         “Xeno!” Tenshi shouts, and almost leaps on me. Again, she hugs me as if we will never let go. She rests her head on my shoulder and begins crying. “I thought you were gone… I thought you were gone!” I place one arm around her, and strike her hair with my free hand. 

         “Silly… I would never leave you alone,” I speak softly in her ear. “Not even Fate can stop me.” After a couple minutes, Tenshi stop crying and holds my hand. Merely being in my presence isn’t enough for her. I can’t blame her after everything that has happened. 

         “How did you guys find me?” I ask her. 

         “Oh, we-.” Lance begins to speak, but Tenshi quickly interrupts him.

         “I remember this place… There… There was something scary in the basement.”

         “The basement, huh?” I find the door to the basement and open it. The only thing visible is darkness. I feel like this is a one way trip. If we go in there, we won’t rest until this is finished. Heh, I’ve been waiting for this. With confidence, I step into the void. Holding Tenshi’s hand like this only makes me want to fight harder. This world is fated for destruction, but I will defy it. I will fight for this world’s peace. 


	15. Survive

Chapter 15, “Survive”

 

         There were several preparations that we needed to perform before going deeper into this dungeon of a basement. Firstly, I had plenty of time before the vampirism cure became ineffective, so I asked Tenshi to perform the spell. Red also lifted the Spirit Nullifier curse that was put upon me. During the process, Tenshi gave me a scary look which is understandable considering that lifting a curse involves sucking on one’s skin. Honestly, I’m not very comfortable about it myself. Lastly, we placed Ketsueki’s body outside in the sunlight until it dried up and fell into ashes. 

         Due to our location, we also contacted several people. The guards have been ordered to observe the house and the general area in case anything unusual happens. Because we also contacted the Adventuring Guild, we met up with Shinrai. Apparently, the demon child we found the other day was begging to see Tenshi and I, but Shinrai tried to tell her that she couldn’t. Just recently, the child said that she would find us on her own and disappeared. 

         “How exactly do we open this?” I ask the crowd. To explain, we found a large wooden crate which likely contains my gear. No one knows how to pick the lock, and we can’t find the key. 

         “Open? It’s just a wooden box! Stand back, everyone!” Red shouts, then stomps on the ground. The ground briefly shakes and then the box falls apart. I’m assuming that she somehow found an exact point where the momentum of the kick would travel into the box and cause it to fall apart as it did. She turned my organs to mush when she directly kicked me that one time, so I’m  _ really  _ glad that she’s an ally. As we suspected, my gear is inside. 

         After I take a moment to gear up, everyone stares at me. Lance, Red, and Blue, “the rejects,” haven’t seen Defiance in action, so they’re more curious than in awe. However, Tenshi’s eyes seem to be glimmering.

         “Xeno, you’re so cool!” She’s seen me like like countless times, so I’m not sure why she’s saying this just now, but it’s cute. 

         “I’m your prince, it’s my job to look cool!” 

         “Not to interrupt,” Lance interrupts, “but what’s that thing on your right side?” He points to my gun. 

         Before I can speak, Blue answers him. “Analysis; the device appears launch projectiles from the chamber using a small explosion. It’s a ranged weapon, more effective than a bow.” 

         “Wow, that was spot on,” I say. “It’s called a gun, and it’s the only one to exist.”

         “Ohohoho! My perfectly preserved Precursor specimen has brought his toys!” Red seems to be excited for some reason. I guess when she’s not lusting for me, specifically my genetics, she’s studying about everything involving the Precursors. It’s strange to label people from my own era as Precursors, but I  _ am  _ a time traveler. 

         “Oh, I almost forgot…” A purple light glows under my right bracer, so I remove it. “Master of the Dark Flame, I summon thee!” I’d say “mistress” but master sounds cooler, just as she would want me to do. A ball of flames manifests in front of me and grows until it forms a humanoid shape. The light dims and reveals the young girl with and eye patch, gauze around her right arm, and a cloak. Everyone is here.

         “I may be the master of the Dark Flame, but I am merely your servant! You are the true master! There is no one else in this universe worthy of such a title! Yes, I see it! You shall be the one to destroy the Society of Evil Mages!” 

         “Hey, Konton. It’s been a while.” For the first time in over a year, I smile at her. Since the day that she died, I was unable to face her in her ghostly form. Now, I have the confidence to treat her the same as back then, before she died. I still remember those silly moments where Tenshi would tease me and hint at her affection for me, but I didn’t think anything of it. How did some below normal guy such as myself end up as a prince of a vast, magical country? 

         Speaking of my old life, the Primordial said he would return me to the Old World when my work is finished. Does he know that I’m happier here than in the Old World? Would he allow me to keep my memories? I don’t want to exist if I’m unable to be with Tenshi. She took me and and gave me everything, and she  _ is  _ everything to me. From what I understand, Tenshi had been lonely for a majority of her life until I showed up, so I am everything to her. If I wasn’t the way I am, she would’ve probably sent me off and set up a place for me to stay in the city. Our encounter was fateful. 

         But what if I can’t find a way back? Or if I don’t get to keep my memories? No, I can’t afford to be pessimistic now. I will find a way back, no matter what. I promised that to Tenshi, and I don’t like breaking promises to girls, especially to my own wife. 

         “Let us avenge the greatest knight in this country and preserve its peace and liberty!”

         “Right!” Everyone shouts at the same time. That being said, I charge off into the dark hallway which seems to be made of the same material as Seishin’s other lair. I’m not sure what this dark marble-like material is, but I’m even more confused about how he managed to set this up. There’s little time to examine it, so I continue running. 

         “Darling!” A voice echoes from down the hallway. It’s Ketsueki, but she seems to be in distress. “He’s over here! He’s going to-!” Her voice then becomes muffled, as if a hand was being held over her mouth.

         “Don’t trust a single damn thing these guys do,” Lance states.

         “Yeah, I know. Be careful, everyone,” I say, and gesture everyone to move slowly. 

         There’s a set of doors at the end of the hallway, identical to those at the previous lair. “Xeno…” Tenshi runs up behind me and grabs my leg arm. “Be careful, okay?”

         “I’m supposed to tell you that.” It isn’t normal for a princess to do this sort of thing, not including the princess in  _ The Fallen Angel. _ Everyone else smiles at the sight. It’s strange to see that our love brings joy to others, not just ourselves. I suppose that would happen if you’re royalty. Anyway, I need to open the doors. 

         They creek as they slowly turn open. At first, the only thing I can see is darkness. Pitch black emptiness, just nothing. Suddenly, lights turn on from the ceiling and reveal a large room. There are large, liquid filled tubes with Ketsueki clones sitting inside. Are they even technically alive, I wonder. There’s laboratory equipment all over the place, and some technology that resembles certain modern day (from my perspective) circuits, wires, etcetera. Seishin must be planning to build a weapon. However, there’s something strange in the center.

         On a pillar that seems almost out of place is a woman. She’s tied up by rope and she can’t move. I recognize her… That’s… “Lotus?!” I shout subconsciously. She has the same blue eyes, lotus-purple hair, and soft looking skin, but she seems older than I remember. I’d estimate that she’s in her late twenties or early thirties. 

         “Webster! This is… This is my fault! Just stay back!” There are tears flowing from her eyes.  I can’t stand the sight, so I begin to move forward. 

         “Why… Why are you-?!” Another girl, with agility, appears in front of me and interrupts my reunion with my childhood friend. 

         “Tsk, tsk… If you want her to be released, then you’ll have to join us. Otherwise… Well, I’m awfully hungry. For blood, that is.” Ketsueki tries to intimidate me, but I only get angry. There’s a bright blue glow from my right wrist, and the words begin to play in my head on a loop.  _ My spine is my sword, my sword is my spine. I summon thee, the Sword of Time! _

         The Sword of Time manifests in my hands, and I’m ready to attack. “You…” I can't even think of anything to say. Someone who goes this low should just get out of my sight. “Freeze time!” I shout, and the Sword of Time responds. While Time is frozen, I take Ketsueki’s knife and throw it at her so that it will hit her chest once time resumes. “Useless,” I say. I will never join her and Seishin. I also walk behind her, then time resumes. 

         There’s an unnerving gushing sound and a thump on the floor. “You were… supposed to be nullified…” Her words weaken as she bleeds more and more. I don’t feel any remorse from this, because she can just transfer her consciousness to another clone. It would be different if she couldn’t. I have sworn to not become a monster like her. 

         “Everyone! Destroy those tubes!” I point to the tubes where the clones are being suspended. Lance throws his spear into one of them, and Red manages to smash another. Konton is also combusting them with spells. Blue, Tenshi, Shinrai and I all stay back and keep an eye out for anything strange. We couldn’t do much to those tubes if we tried, so we’re conserving energy. 

         “Aha…. ahahahaha!” One of the clones begins laughing. “Ahahahahahaha!” No, it’s not just one. All of them are laughing. A chill is sent down my spine. One by one, the clones that weren’t completely destroyed rise up. Now, there are ten of her and seven of us. This is getting out of hand. To use the Sword of Time again would use up too much energy, but there’s too many of her.

         They continue to laugh as they attack us. Lance is busy deflecting several attacks with his spear and occasionally goes for a strike, but fails each time. Shinrai is trying to keep up with them, shooting arrows at them. Her new armor should protect her from Ketsueki’s attacks. Red is attacking them with her bare hands and feet. Her strength can throw off the strikes, but she can’t find time to strike. Blue is running around with incredible speed and is distracting one of the clones. Konton is throwing fireballs at them hoping to get a hit. And I and protecting Tenshi, she’s basically defenseless. 

         “There’s too many of them! Konton! Do  _ it _ !” I shout. Konton quickly glances at me and nods. Then, she chants the spell. “Tenshi! Put anti-magic barriers on everyone!” She immediately complies. We have to take precautions before we burn down this room.

         “ Feel the wrath of the greatest of flames! May my enemies hear my name! I am the great Dark Flame Destroyer! I cast upon thee, combustion!” Purple fire fills the air. Despite the barriers, I can still feel the heat, which is intense. Everywhere air is, is now fire. The only thing I can hear among the waving of fire is screams. Painful, death-filled screams. For now, this is her end, but only for now. Slowly, the air returns to normal. 

         After the carnage, I check on everyone to ensure their safety. Last up is someone I thought I wouldn’t see until this is all over, Lotus. I cut the ropes that bind her and she nearly falls forwards before catching herself. She’s breathing heavily and is ready for a good sleep. I hold her in my arms like I would for Tenshi. I’m most concerned about her mind, which may not be able to comprehend the situation. 

         Finally, she speaks. “Webster…. You have… an awful lot of girls with you…” She smiles weakly. 

         “Idiot… You always find the wrong time for a joke, don’t you?” 

         “Say, that there,” she points to the ring in my left ring finger. “I didn’t say you could get married to someone else, did I?”  

         “Xeno…” Tenshi says tensely, with a forced smile. “Please explain yourselves…”

         “Sorry, sorry!” I realize that Tenshi had been listening to the entire conversation. “This is my childhood friend, Lotus. I honestly don’t know how she got here, but she’s here.” 

         “Webster… So that’s your wife…? Are you two happy?” Lotus weakens slowly, but she’s not injured. Hopefully, she’ll just pass out and wake up later. Tenshi can heal her if anything is wrong. 

         “Yes,” I reply. “We’re the happiest couple in the world.”

         “Oh, that’s good… I guess that’s all that matters…” Then, as I knew she would, she passes out. 

         “Tenshi, stay back and care for her,” I order. This is just my excuse to get her away from the fighting. She  _ is  _ useful in battle, but I don’t want her to get hurt. 

         “Right!” 

          The rest of us head further into the lair. Seeing modern technology after so long is relieving, but also unsettling considering the circumstances. I don’t even want to know how Seishin managed to recover or build such tech in such a little amount of time. He even has a teleported, which I assume works by taking apart an object's atoms and reassembles them in the desired location. 

         There’s another set of wooden doors, but they’re locked from the other side. 

         “Does anyone see any way to open it?” I ask.

Red is responds immediately.

         “Open it? My, my. Merely opening it is not necessary. This  _ is  _ enemy territory, so manners aren’t necessary.” She backs up, charges at the door, and kicks it down. The door completely snapped off of the hinges. I wonder how much she could lift… 

         Behind the door is a smaller room that is similar to the larger chamber. In the center is Seishin, who is slowly turning around like a cliche villain. He’s wearing his usual unusually clean suit and has his hair gelled back. He definitely gives off some “corrupt politician” vibes. 

         “You fools! You fell for it! You fell for my trap!” He laughs. It’s becoming difficult to hold back my anger. 

         “Dammit!” Lance shouts. “Everyone, get outta the room!” We all turn around, but the door is blocked by several black-cloak wearing mages. Who the hell are these guys?!

         “Seize them! Leave that boy alive and dispose of the others!” Seishin orders them. I can hear him say something along the lines of “I did not expect the rejects to come to his aid…” under his breath. 

         Now, the mages surround us. One wrong move and we’re dead. Combusting the room will harm us, too, so we can’t do it again without calling for Tenshi.

         “Who even are you guys?” I ask the mages. They have no obligation to answer, but one of them does anyway. 

         “We… are the Society of Evil Mages,” she speaks. Her voice is cold, even lifeless. “It’s a rather ridiculous name, but it is who we are. We seek to bring chaos upon this world.” 

         Konton seems shocked for an odd reason. Then she says, “This voice… No, it cannot be! It absolutely cannot be!” 

         The mage that was previously speaking to us throws off the hood of her cloak. The woman in front of us is an older-looking version of Konton, or rather an older relative. Instead of having Konton’s purple eye color, this woman has blood-red, and dead-looking eyes. No doubt, she’s a vampire and is beyond help. Despite the eye color, her complexion and hair are identical to that of Konton. 

        “Oh, Young Sister Konton, I, Moyasu, was informed that you were dead. I suppose we now have something in common. In fact, I know that you aren’t technically alive. Our similarities are uncanny.” 

         “A vampire, are you? How in the world did you end up as such a vile creature? And with the Society, as well,” Konton questions. There’s so much going on right now that I’m struggling to keep up. Lotus is here, Seishin is working with an wrongdoing organization, and Konton has an older sister named Moyasu. 

         “You left me for dead,” the older sister replies. “Though, you thought I was already dead at the time. The raid at the Forest Outpost, do you remember?” 

         “As you stated, I believed that you died at that location. Such a moment could surely never leave my memory!”

         “Anyway, I was found by Seishin’s right hand, Ketsueki. I was losing blood, so she turned me and assimilated me. I was not given a choice. Thus, here we are today. Also, you there, boy,” she points at me. “Your little angel is now in our hands. We knew you would leave her behind to protect her. A noble prince, you are. However, your kindness your weakness.” No way… They ambushed Tenshi? Did Lotus know? Perhaps she passed out not from exhaustion, but from a spell or a poison. I cannot allow this to pass. 

         “Don’t hurt her…”

         “What did you say, my Prince?” Moyasu mocks me. 

         “I said…  **DON’T HURT HER!** ” I shout out of anger. I try to control myself instead of doing anything reckless, but it’s proving to be difficult this time. 

         “Oh? How far would you go to ensure her safety?” So, they plan on using Tenshi as a bargaining chip. Dammit, there’s nothing I can do from this position. We’ll be burned alive if I don’t cooperate. 

        “Fine, then… You can have me,” I say. The sense of defeat overcomes me. I can hear the shouting from behind me. 

         “No, you mustn’t, Master!”

         “Webster!”

         “An unexpected event has transpired. Suggested action; unknown.” 

         “My specimen, why have you given in so easily?!” They try to stop me, but they all become restrained by the mages that surround us, held by their arms. I, however, walk slowly towards Seishin. It’s over, and I’ve lost. 

         Another Ketsueki clone approaches. “We’re finally together, Webster.” My heart skips a beat as she addresses me by name. Before, she has only called me Darling. I wasn’t even sure if she knew my name, but she was holding back until this moment. She grabs my hand, pulls me forward, and sinks her teeth into my neck. It’s so painful, but I endure it. At this point, I don’t care if I die. I doubt I’ll even be cured of vampirism again in time. There’s, what, a fourth eight hour time limit? Yeah, there’s no way I can be saved. 

 

* * *

  
  


**48 Hours Remain**

         “Unhand me!” She screams. “I am royalty! If I discover your identity, I can have you executed!” She struggles for a moment, but eventually becomes free of the mages grasp. Before being caught again, she lifts up Xeno’s friend, Lotus, and carries her in her arms. Then, Tenshi runs towards where the others went. 

         What she sees sends her into shock. Everyone but Xeno is being restrained. He looks back at her and mouths the words…  _ Forgive me.  _ There’s a weak smile on his face and he looks like he’s about to cry. The only thing Tenshi thinks of doing is running up to him and hugging him as tightly as possible, but she never gets the chance. In a moment, she finds herself outside with the others. The transition was a loud buzzing and a blinding white-blue light. Was this the teleportation that the others had mentioned, she wonders. 

         “The sun is setting! We can’t fight them now!” Lance shouts, looking at the sun. Then he starts shouting at  _ someone _ . “Who the hell are you guys! We haven’t done anything!” 

         Confused, Tenshi glances at Lance. He and the others are arguing with the guards about something. It seems that they have mistaken them for criminals. The confusion transitions to chaos when a guard notices Tenshi and shouts, “There she is! Arrest her!” 

         Someone had ran around and confused the minds of the locals, Tenshi thought. Altering memories was a spell that Seishin and his underlings were familiar to, and was even used on Tenshi herself. For the time being, these poor people will be convinced that the group was a bunch of wrongdoers. 

         “Princess Tenshi! Come on, we’re getting out of here!” Shinrai grabs Tenshi’s hand and runs. This brought Tenshi back into the moment. 

         “What’s happening?!” Tenshi asks. 

         “The people here think you’re a tyrant! I’m sure they’ll remember later, but for now, this place is dangerous! We have to go far away!” 

         “But… what about Xeno?!”

         “We don’t have time to discuss that right now! Come on!” 

         Tenshi, Shinrai, Red, Lance, and Blue all continue to run until the city is barely visible to in the horizon. Konton has disappeared, likely back into her Master’s scar where she resides as a Spirit. Her usage of the explosion spell has also drained her magic, so she wouldn’t be of use at the moment, anyway. 

         “Suggestion: Going to your mansion would be an illogical idea,” Blue says. 

         “Why?” Tenshi asks. 

         “Due to the proximity of the city, the guards have likely began to search it. For now, we should hide in the nearby forest. 

         “Oh… I see…” Tenshi suddenly becomes emotional and begins to cry. “Why… Why didn’t you save him?!” She glances sharply at Red, who possesses inhuman strength. Being restrained like by a human is nothing to her. 

         “You see… If I were to break free, they surely would’ve burn us all alive, my specimen included,” Red replies.

         “I know… but… why didn’t you try?!” She falls on her knees with her hands over her eyes. Shinrai is the first to comfort her, followed by the rest of the girls. Tenshi would cry for a while before they moved on into the forest to the North. 

 

**46 Hours Remain**

         The forest is dense with dark brown trees that have thick trunks and have many branches with many leaves. Due to this, it’s nearly as dark during the day as it is during the night. Monsters have been known to reside it it and many people have become lost and never found. 

         “What’s with this place?” Shinrai complains. Their location is some abandoned camp with many tents. There’s some supplies, but most of it is rotten with age and covered with mold. The water, filled with algae. 

         “Analysis,” Blue speaks. “This camp was used by the S.E.M until a couple years ago. It is likely that this is the Forest Outpost Moyasu mentioned.” 

         “This place is scary!” Tenshi says. The air in the area is cold, and the sights are unsettling. Junk is scattered everywhere. Paper, worn clothing, and everything else that could be considered excess by humans. 

         “Due to our location, it is highly unlikely that anyone will find us. Suggestion: We should sleep here.” 

         “My house, a mansion, a few inns… Now this place?” Shinrai continues to complain. 

         “Huh? Don’t you remember sleeping out on the Frontier?” Lance teases her. There, they merely slept in the ground beside a fire. 

         “Yeah, we never get it easy…”

         After searching for a while, the group finds several tents clear of any trash and of any rotten smell. 

         “Everyone, these tents are clean!” Tenshi announcers to the group. “I’m very tired… I wouldn’t mind sleeping right now.” 

         “Well, those vampires, or mages, or whatever may be after us, so I’ll keep an eye out,” Shinrai declares. An arrow to a vampire’s heart is the best alternative to a stake. Night is when vampires are strongest, so her choice is logical. The rest of the group takes shelter in the tents. All of them, except Shinrai and Tenshi, fall asleep. 

         “Xeno…” Tenshi whispers with an arm extended towards the top of the tent. Maybe, just maybe, her cry will reach him. 

 

**34 Hours Remain**

         Blue and Tenshi are the only ones that are currently awake. Sometime last night, Shinrai had given in to her exhaustion and passed out on a chair. According to Blue, Lance and Red had gone scouting several hours ago and never returned. Also according to Blue, they are resourceful and wouldn’t get captured easily, so Tenshi shouldn't worry. 

         “Oh… Good morning, you two,” Shinrai speaks as she enters the tent. 

         “Did you find anything?” Tenshi asks. 

         “There was a cache on the West side. I found some arrows and this weird bow.” She retrieves a bow with pulleys on the top and bottom. There’s also a grip where the left hand goes. 

         “Analysis: That is a compound bow. It is Precursor technology which makes the process of firing more energy efficient.” 

         “In that case, I don’t mind if I just take it…” Shinrai could not comprehend the idea of someone upgrading a bow, but it  _ is  _ Precursor in origin. It’s naturally for their technology to surpass today’s. It’s a dream of some to live beyond how royalty does today, and as the Precursors did many millennia ago. 

         “I’m awfully hungry,” Tenshi says before her stomach growls at her. 

         “Alright… Stay here and I’ll try to find us something to eat.” Shinrai then goes off on her own into the forest, but makes sure to stay close by. The leaves and sticks on the ground will make noise upon being stepped on, so it will be easy to track something big enough to eat, Shinrai thinks to herself. 

 

**32 Hours Remain**

         After about two hours, Shinrai tracked and shot a boar-like creature. Due to its size, it will be able to feed the three girls. It’s being cooked by a fire fueled by the various sticks and leaves scattered in the ground. 

         Tenshi, who cares deeply about the others, asks, “What about the others? Won’t they need to eat, too?”

         Blue replies, “We are able to survive on their own. We were designed by S.E.M and produced artificially. Ultimately, we developed our own minds, rebelled, and were rejected. Analysis: The food is at acceptable conditions for consumption.” 

         Shinrai removes the meat from the fire’s heat and cuts it into several even pieces. Then, she distributes them among the three of them. 

         “Oh! This is pretty good for untreated meat!” Tenshi exclaims. “It’s so fresh!” 

         “Yeah, it seems almost a little  _ too  _ good.” 

         “Analysis: The creature you killed was poisoned.”

         “Huh?! That’s not possible!” Shinrai was sure that the animal was untouched. Its species is also native to this area, so it’s not unusual to sight it. 

         “Eating any more will cause you to pass out. Please resist any drowsiness that you experience.” 

         “I should’ve known that you’d have figured it out…” A voice speaks suddenly from nearby. It’s a voice familiar to Tenshi, but is lacks the amount of life that it usually gives off. The person who it belongs to is only a fraction of their former selves.

         “Xeno…?” Tenshi’s eye’s begin to fill with tears as she looks for him. He walks from around the back of the tents and reveals himself. His armor shines in the little sunlight that passes through the sky-full of leaves. However, he wears a black cloak over it, appearing almost like a cape. His eyes, too, are empty of the life that usually fills them. It’s evident that he’s already changed into a vampire. After being converted two time before, his body is used to the transition. However, the cure is still effective as long as it’s within the given time period. “Xeno!” Tenshi runs up to him and hugs him. “There’s still time! You can stop this,” she cries. 

         He pulls himself away from her. “Stay away from me!” At first, he seems angry, but his expression then looks painful. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone, so it’s best to keep his distance. Suddenly, he pulls out Defiance and fires close to Shinrai. 

         “Woah! What’s wrong with you, you damn amateur?!” 

         “Don’t follow me!” He turns around and sprints into the forest. It’s useless to chase after him, so everyone stays put, shivering at the thought that Shinrai was a meter away from death. 

         “What… do we do now?” She asks. 

         “I… We have to find him! We have to save him! We have to save my Xeno!” 

         “Yeah, but how? He could be anywhere in this forest…” 

         “Counter Argument: Such a cloak may shield him in sunlight. He can travel elsewhere, and I may have an idea.” 

         “What you just said might make things even worse… but what’s your idea?” 

 

**29 Hours Remain**

         The three girls find themselves in front of a house made of wood, but it’s decently sized with two stories. The building’s condition is relatively new, but there are some oddities.

         “Impossible!” Shinrai exclaims. “We burned this place into ashes! How is this here?” The building is an exact copy of the house where Prince Webster and his knight, Hikari, discovered a vampire. It was here that she was first slain and burned into ashes. 

         “It appears the has recently been rebuilt. On further analysis, it is currently inhabited.” 

         “By whom?”

         “Unknown. Allow us to knock.” 

         “There’s a clan of vampires stalking us and you’re just going to-?!”  _ Knock, knock _ . 

         The door opens slowly… “Oh, hello. You’re friends of my darling, aren’t you?” Inside of the house is a blacked haired, red-eyed girl. Her attire is more casual than the usual black cloak.

         “You… Where the hell is he?!” Shinrai grabs Ketsueki by the collar of her shirt and pulls on it. 

         “Please… Stop! I won’t hurt you!” 

         “Huh?” Shinrai releases the terrified Ketsueki. Had she been faking, Blue would’ve spoken by now. Tenshi is too confused to speak. 

         “I- I’m not the same as her… the  _ other me _ .”

         “Other you? Explain yourself!” 

         “Okay! I’ve been doomed to suffer… I don’t want to hurt anyone, I really don’t. You don’t know what it’s like to see yourself hurting others and dying over and over simply because you’re told to do so.” 

         “So, you’re more of a slave than an underling?”

         “I suppose you could say that. Whenever I am cloned again, I begin in this state. Master Seishin designed me to instantly become a vampire when the need arises.” 

         “Well, I suppose you couldn’t do us a favor, could you? If you’re our ally, you can help us.” 

         “Yes, I will. Anything to make it up to you. There’s so much blood on my hands that I have the feel the guilt again each time I’m cloned…”

         “We’re awfully hungry, could you get us something to eat?” 

         “Oh, that’s it?! Gladly! Please just wait out here!” 

 

**28 Hours Remain**

         On the table is a plethora of prepared plates. The food’s aroma sweetens the air around it. The non-vampire Ketsueki is the only one without a meal. “This is the least I can do for all of you,” she says. 

         “Thank you for the meal!” Shinrai seems bothered, Tenshi is excited by the food, and Blue’s tone is flat. 

         “Oh, this is just like  _ my  _ cooking! It’s delicious!” The spices and even the way the meats are cut are the same as Tenshi’s style of cooking. 

         “Yes, my design was based on you. They stalked the two of you for a while…” 

         “That’s scary… Speaking of us, is Xeno here?”

         “I’m afraid not. He looked quite upset earlier and he took off somewhere.” 

         “Suggestion: Search the destroyed village. It’s likely he doesn’t want to be seen in his state, so he’s hiding from us. 

         “I’ve been there a couple times now,” Shinrai states. “It still gives me the chills.”

         “I…” Ketsueki begins to speak, but stops immediately. This captures the attention of Shinrai and Blue. Tenshi is still focused on eating. The pressure forces her to continue. “I may be able to help you, but I can’t guarantee it…” 

         “Go on,” Shinrai says, curious. 

         “If I transform, I’ll be able to help you. The other me prioritizes the safety of the Prince, however, she works for Master Seishin. I can’t say for sure if she’s willing to cooperate.”

         “Proposal: Attempt to transform while we have an advantageous position. If it does not work, you may be cloned again.” 

         “Okay, I’ll… I'll try it.” She hands Shinrai a kitchen knife, and she holds it so that she could put down Ketsueki in one swift movement if it’s necessary. 

         “GRRRAAAAAH!” Ketsueki screams. The transformation process seems to be painful on her end. The sight isn’t very appealing to look at, either. Her skin color slowly turns pale, the life in her eyes drain, and some of her teeth extend into fangs. Typically, turning into a vampire is a slow and painless process, but being forced like this is different. 

         “Oh? You came to negotiate, did you?” She says, after nearly passing out. Her breathing is heavy. 

         “We want you to help us…. Actually, ‘need’ would be a better word.” 

         “Alright, shoot.” She doesn’t even make a move. The vampire Ketsueki is, indeed, interested in what the girls have to say. Tenshi, by now, has finished her meal and is observing the situation. 

          “We know that you care about the Prince, so we need you to find him. You’re already familiar with the situation, aren’t you?” Shinrai interrogates her.

          “Yes, I am quite aware that he is suffering. I was conversing with him earlier. He simply gave himself up because he believed he had no choice. He has no interest in hurting anyone, especially not you all.”

         “Then let’s do something about it! He’s missing right now and I doubt he’ll come back here any time soon.” 

         “What’s is this for me, hmm?” Ketsueki snaps.

         “You want him to be happy, don’t you? You love him, don’t you? When he has nothing, he isn’t even afraid of death.”

         “I…” Shinrai’s questions stumped her. “I can’t deny that. So, I suppose we all have a common interest. Hmm… I don’t mind defy my Master a little bit. I won’t ever get to have Darling all for myself, so I’ll help you, I suppose.” 

         “So, you’re our ally now, correct?” 

         “Yes. I’ve realized now that as long as that over over there,” she glances at Tenshi, “is alive, I can’t have him. I’ve been denying it, but it’s the truth…” 

         “That went almost too smoothly… Blue, was she lying at all?”

         “No lies were detected on my part, however, it’s still possible considering who we’re dealing with. Proposal: We should search as soon as possible.” 

 

**26 Hours Remain**

          By now, the sun is low. The four girls waited about an hour so that their food can digest before searching. Now, they approach the old village which was destroyed by none other than Ketsueki over a year ago. The memories of fighting the undead and breathing the smoke are still fresh in Shinrai’s mind, but she’s not very bothered by it. 

         “I had no idea Xeno has to experience this…” Tenshi says to herself quietly so that Ketsueki can’t hear her. 

          The buildings are nothing but rotten wood upon piles of ash and dust. 

         “So scary…” 

         After searching for some minutes in one large group, they found nothing. The corpses have been absorbed by the ground, so all that’s left are bones. Not even a single voice lingers here. 

         “Suggestion: We should split up.”

         “I think it would be better if we have partners,” Tenshi suggests. 

         “Alright. In that case, the reject and I shall search one half, and you two shall search another.” Ketsueki is being cooperative which is surprising to everyone.

         “Fine,” Shinrai sighs. The two groups than split apart. 

         The groups spend about half of an hour searching, with almost no success. Tenshi is the only one to notice something odd. “Everyone! There’s something over here!” She shouts. 

         “Oh? What’s this?” Ketsueki asks. 

         “This footprint! It’s headed in the direction of the manor, and it’s the same as Xeno’s boots, I’m sure of it,” she explains. 

         “Analysis: This footprint is recent. Less than twenty four hours old.” The sun is beginning to set, so it’s almost safe for vampires to wander about.

         “It’s getting awfully late,” Ketsueki points out. “How about we wait until tomorrow?”

         “Yeah, I’m feeling exhausted after all of that walking around.” 

         “My Xeno, my everything, he’s out there!” Tenshi says while extending her arm to the moon. 

 

**10 Hours Remain**

         The girls had a decent rest in Ketsueki’s home. In that time, she had reverted back into her non-vampire state the resist the urge to drink their blood. They also prepared their gear and had breakfast before setting off towards Temshi’s manor. 

         There’s a strange aura coming from the house. The guards are gone, so it seems lonely. They had gone off searching for the tyrant princess who actually is not a tyrant. The house seems empty of life, and dark. 

         “Princess Shugosha… Er… Tenshi, stay behind us,” Shinrai says. “I’m not sure about what will go down in here, but I don’t want you getting hurt.”

         “Come on, let’s go in,” Ketsueki orders. 

         Inside is a strange sight. The maid is chained to a wall and is awake. “Mistress, please tread carefully.” Her tone is flat as usual, but what she said implies that there’s danger inside. The Prince has, in fact, taken shelter here. Her own manor is the last place Tenshi would think of looking for him. After all, that’s where he usually is. 

          Then,  _ he  _ appears from around a corner. “Xeno!” Tenshi cries and runs up to him, but he jumps back. 

         “What did you come here for?” He asks. “Did you come to capture them, Ketsueki?” 

         “No,” she replies. “We’re going to save you.”

         “Save me?” He laughs. “In that case…” He takes his gun out from his holster and aims it at the four girls. Tenshi cries even harder.

         “X- Xeno… Why are you…? I just wanted to help you… You’re always suffering from something! You don’t deserve that! Just… stop!” 

         “Duck,” he says. 

         “Huh?”

         “Duck!” As he told them to, the four girls duck down and hide their faces.  _ Bang!  _ A shot was fired, but at whom? They stand up and look behind them.

         “Ketsueki!” Seishin shouts. “You were supposed to be perfect! Why have you aided them?!” 

         “About that… It’s time for me to do things on my own. Children eventually separate from their parents, no? This is the same! You won’t hurt my Darling anymore!”

         “You… I spent so many hours designing you! Fine! Then you all shall burn!” He fires a spell, but Tenshi puts up a magic barrier.

 

* * *

 

         I remember my last fight with him, so I must be careful. Magic is ineffective against him, so physical attacks should do. I also remove my right bracer, and Konton materializes instantly.  _ Bang! _ I fire another shot at him, but he dodges. Dammit! This guy is fast!

         “Konton!” I shout.

         “Right!” She begins throwing fireballs in his direction as I get closer to him. Finally, I’m only about a meter away. “The Sword of Time! Freeze time!” Time stops momentarily while I take Defiance and fire a couple shots at him. It’s impossible to dodge now. Time resumes. 

_ Splat! _ One of the bullets punctures Seishin’s chest and blood sprays from behind him. “You son of bitch!” He shouts at me. He instantly heals himself and throws himself towards me. Ketsueki intercepts and slashes him several times. Still, he heals himself. “You… you stupid boy! Just aim for the head and be done with me!”

         “No. You won’t make me a killer! I’m not like you!” 

         “So be it!” He manifests a sword made of flames, a spell called “Flame Sword.” Due to its elemental properties, it’s difficult to use without blowing it out like a candle  in one swipe. However, it appears Seishin has mastered it. I parry his attack and slash him, but his barrier stops be from injuring him. “Ha ha! My barrier stops all magic, even Spirits!” 

         “Fine, I see how it works. Then I’ll just need my real sword!” Using a spell, I summon my physical sword and it appears in my hand. I could’ve sworn that I’ve seen someone do the same thing in one or several of my favorite shows. I slash my sword, and he parries. I can feel the heat transferring through the sword and it makes it difficult to hold, but I manage.  “Freeze Time!” I shout again, but I feel a little out of breath due to my usage of Spirit energy. While time if frozen, I impale my sword straight into his chest. I don’t want to kill him, but he just won’t stop. Time resumes. 

         “Ack!” He shouts. “Did you… did you really think I flesh wound like this… would stop me?!” He somehow takes the sword out of his chest, and it heals instantly. He takes his flames sword and knocks me down to the ground.

         “This little battle of ours… It’s over! I’ll leave you now, but… one of you…  _ must die. _ ” He laughs as he walks away. 

         As I look up, I see Ketsueki walk towards Tenshi, who is shaking in fear. Ketsueki seems hysterical, completely out of it. Then, there’s a scream. Overlapping the scream is Ketsueki’s laughter. “Aha… Ahahahahaha! Ahahahahahaha!” Ketsueki seems to be moving some sort of object up and down repetitively over Tenshi, who is now on the ground. 

         After Ketsueki makes her final motion, Tenshi reaches her hand out towards me. In a weak, almost lifeless voice, she whispers. 

         “Xe…no…” Her arm falls down to the ground and her eyes remain open. A red substance covers her torso. A strange pain kicks into my chest. I’m not injured, so what is this feeling? Nevermind that, what’s that red substance? …Oh, I see.  _ She must’ve spilled a drink. Yes, that’s what happened. _

         “...Come here, Tenshi… I’ll clean that up for you. Don’t worry, I’ll get you some new clothes… That stain won’t look very pretty…” She doesn’t respond, so I get up and walk towards her. I kneel on the ground beside her. 

_ There’s no doubt about it, it’s all blood. _

         “It’s alright… I’ll take you home. Everything is over now. We’re okay… Everything is okay.” I hold her in my arms. Strangely, she fell asleep even with her eyes open. 

_ There’s no pulse. She’s dead. _

         “Come on, you can wake up now. I’m right here.” I gently shake her. Something wet slides down my cheeks. Tears?

_ Everyone is looking at me. They know something is wrong.  _

         “I know you like to tease me, but it’s not the time for games right now! Come on, let’s go home! Don’t you want to make dinner for me? I’m sure Fu wants to see you! Come on!” I shake her slightly harder. This should wake her up, but there’s no response. “Come on! Wake up! Why aren’t you waking up?!”

_ Something from within me breaks. An unstoppable rage floods throughout my veins. Everyone around me has streams of tears falling from their eyes.  _

         “I told all of you, I can’t have him as long as she was alive. Now, we can finally be together,” Ketsueki says. I place Tenshi on the ground. 

         “ _ My spine is my sword, and my sword is my spine,”  _ the words immediately play in my head. “ _ I summon thee, the Sword of Time!” _ A blue mass that resembles a great sword appears in my hands. It’s bursting with energy unlike any time before. It’s blinding to look at. “I told you before… to leave Tenshi and I alone!” I swing the mass of energy at Ketsueki, who dodges the attack. 

         “Darling! There’s no need for that!”

         “What would you know?!” I swing. “What would you know about love?!” I swing again. “You’re just a monster! Anyone who gets between Tenshi and I should just die!” 

         Out of anger, I forcefully jam the Sword of Time into the ground while screaming at the top of my lungs. Even more energy bursts from the sword. The white, blinding light fills my entire field of vision. There’s also a deafening ringing noise. I feel myself drift away. 

         In my unconscious state, a dream plays before my eyes. Or is it a memory?  _ Everything is blurry, but I can still make out some things. I’m laying underneath a seemingly dead tree. There’s an incredible pain in my leg. I look at it, there’s a hole and lots of blood. This injury prevents me from getting up. The pain is so intense that it even brings tears to my eyes. Strangely, there’s a metal box next to me on the ground. How did I get here? Am I going to die? _

_          An unfamiliar person hovers over me. It’s a girl, she has beautiful silver hair, and sky blue eyes. She’s like an angel. _

_          “This box… Are you researching the Precursors?” Her words barely reach my ears. I grunt in pain as I try to move. _

_          “You’re not from anywhere around here are you? I’ve never seen anyone like you, or these clothes…” I try to speak, but the pain is too unbearable. _

_          “You don’t belong anywhere, do you? Thank goodness… I’ll make you mine. You’ll belong by my side. Finally… Someone to call my own… Come on, I’ll make you feel better…” She holds out her right hand, and a golden light emits from it. Then, my vision fades. _


	16. Worldine Shift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What chaos will Webster find himself in after discovering the secret power of his Spirit, the Sword of Time?

Chapter 16, “Worldline Shift”

 

         I inhale heavily as if I woke up from a nightmare. What happened yesterday might as well have been a nightmare. With the memory of the death fresh in my mind, I begin to cry immediately. Tenshi was so fragile, so weak. On her own, she could never protect herself. I swore to protect her, and in the end, I failed. I failed to protect the only thing worth protecting. Then, _she_ reaches out to me and hugs me. _She_ knows something’s wrong. _She_ doesn’t know what it is, so comforting me is the only thing _she_ can do.

         “Xeno…” she says softly, “are you okay?”

         “Huh…?” I slowly turn to my left and see her, my guardian angel. “I… I… thought you were dead! I don’t… it must’ve been a dream! I was… I was so scared!” Seeing her makes me want to cry even more.

         “Do you remember what happened yesterday?” She asks.

         “I don’t even know! I… ”

         “Shhhh, Xeno…” She places a finger in front of my lips. “I’ll tell you what happened.”

  


         The Prince was blown back by Seishin’s sword. Then, he stated that he shall leave, but one person of the group must die.

         Ketsueki began to laugh. “Aha… Ahaha… ahahahaha!” Then, she also started to cry. During this state of hysteria, she took her own knife and began to stab herself in the lower torso repeatedly. She laid dead on the floor, blood spilled from the bloody and formed a bloody red puddle. Knowing that she defied her Master, she sacrificed herself for the Prince’s sake.

         “Live on, my Darling,” she said as she bled out.

         The entire time, he had been watching. The sight must’ve been too much for his eyes, even after slaying numerous monsters, and he passed out. After the incident, the site was cleaned up and he was taken to bed to rest.

  
  


         “That’s not… That’s not at all how I remember it! I saw you! I saw you die!”  I say.

         “Shhhh… It was just a bad dream, Xeno. Tell me what you remember.”

         “It would be best if I don’t tell you. I’m just… so glad that you’re alive!” I hug Tenshi as tightly as possible without suffocating her. She’s so precious and fragile that I must protect her no matter what. In my dream, or rather my false memories, I know for a _fact_ that I saw Tenshi die.

         After a moment, I remember something important. It’s possible to a magic user to transfer their Spirit to another magic user, and then manifest themselves even after death. This was how Konton managed to stick around. Knowing this, I search for a third scar on my right wrist. After not finding it, I check in all sorts of odd places. The entire time, Tenshi gazed at me in curiosity. Based on this, what Tenshi said must be true. She didn’t die, it was Ketsueki. But why would my memories alter like that…? The only thing that comes to mind is the flash of light I saw when I jammed the Sword of Time into the ground.

         “Is something wrong? Are you hurt?” She asks.

         “No, it’s just… I thought you were dead,” I repeat.

         “It’s okay, Xeno. I’m here now,” she says softly. She hugs me back tightly as I continue to cry. Should a princess see her prince cry like this? I suppose the answer is yes. I hold her unique silver hair in my left hand. It’s soft and silky as usual. Somehow, it seems to be comforting to hold. Maybe it’s just the reassurance that she’s here in front of my eyes. After a moment, I fall asleep again.

         In my dream, I see the now familiar desert, and the great machine known as the Primordial rises up again. He unfurls his large metallic wings once more. Why has he brought me here again? Perhaps he has some wisdom to share, or maybe it has to do with my memory being altered.

         “Webster…” he calls out to me.

         “Yes?”

         “It appears you’ve unlocked your Spirit’s hidden power.”

         “Hidden power? What do you mean?”

         “You have surpassed the power of mere time travel. Not only can you travel manipulate time, but you can now alter timelines if your will is strong enough. What you saw yesterday was no dream, that was reality. It was, until you summoned enough energy and altered the timeline into a world where what you saw was different. Of course, this decision of yours was subconscious.”

         “Timelines? Sorry, this sounds like a bunch of nonsense from a show that I’ve watched…”

         “Your Spirit _is_ called the Sword of Time for a reason, have I not told you before?”

         “Huh?! But time travel… Just by using my sword, that shouldn’t be possible!”

         “By that same logic, time travel itself should not be possible, but here you, no, we are.”

         “We?” I ask him.

         “Yes, it’s a story that I should spare you of telling…” Then he speaks as if it were under his breath, “ _I did not think that fate would unite you all once more…_ ” the statement left me shocked. It implies that I and my allies have met in some other world or timeline. This has to be a misunderstanding.

         “What does that mean?” I feel like questions always generate in my head whenever the Primordial is present.

         “As I stated, I shall spare you of telling the story. It is a long tale not worthy of telling.”

         “Fine, then. I have one last question. Is this place some sort of pocket dimension?”

         “No, this is indeed within your dreams, I use magic to manipulate your mind so that I may speak to you.”

         “I get it… Well, is that all you have to tell?”

         “Indeed, for now. Farewell, Webster.” I’m still upset that he won’t allow me to stay in this world once I’m done, but I feel that the answer to finding a way back is right in front of me. Knowing is, I think as hardly as I can until I wake up.

         I feel the sunlight shining on my skin, and Tenshi’s arm around me. Clearly, she used the vampirism cure while I was supposedly passed out. Otherwise, I would be burning into ashes right now. I still can’t believe that I gave myself up like that, that I’d abandoned my friends, that I’d abandoned Tenshi.

         As I look outside, I see the guards who seem to have remembered that Tenshi and the others have done absolutely nothing wrong. They are posted around the gate as usual. Then I remember something else that’s important.

         “Tenshi!” I gently shake her and try to keep my voice down despite the emergency. I want to wake her up, but I don’t want to do so aggressively.

         “Xeno… Is there something wrong?”

         “Lotus, where is she?” I question her, not out of suspicion, but because I don’t remember taking her home.

         “Your friend? The guards found her and took her to an inn until she woke up. She’s sleeping in one of the guest rooms right now.”

         “And what about that little girl we found the other day? Is she still here?”

         “Yes. She’s with your friend right now. She insisted that she slept with us, but I had to tell her no! There isn’t enough space for three people!”

         “Oh, that’s good… Thank goodness, I thought she was still out there.” In an instant, my heart rate slows and my breathing becomes steady.

         “Shall I get breakfast ready?” She asks.

         “Yeah, I’m gonna go take a-.” I meant to say that I was going to take a bath, but as I spoke blue electricity starts to emit from me. Accomplish the anomaly of electricity is a loud buzzing. It’s only getting brighter, and my environment is beginning to become hard to see.

         “Xeno!” Tenshi shouts, races out of bed, and reaches for me. Then, the electricity becomes a blinding white and the only thing I can hear among the buzzing is Tenshi’s voice shouting my name. This is the same phenomenon that occurred yesterday. So this is time travel…

         

         I’m on my bed next to Tenshi. She takes the left side as usual. However, there’s one thing wrong. This isn’t Tenshi’s, our, manor, this is my house! “Tenshi! Are you awake?” I look over to my left to see her staring at… everything. It’s all new to her, but it’s familiar to me.

         “Xeno! What is this?!” She seems strangely excited.

         “This is… my house, I guess. I think we traveled through time or something…”

         “Oh! So this is the Precursor world! It’s cooler than I thought it would be!” She takes off and investigates the rest of my house. She was surprised when the television displayed moving images of the daily news, which states the date of August 25th, 2053, the day after I was lost in the time machine. Tenshi also seemed particularly interested in the refrigerator which stored frozen, microwaveable chicken.

         “Hey, Xeno! Could we go outside?” I can’t say no without feeling bad, so I instantly reply,

         “Yeah, is there anywhere you want to go?”

         “Hmm… No, I can’t think of-.” Then, the news starts reporting on the time machine incident.

         “Seventeen year old, Matthew Webster, was reportedly shot and disappeared after the device was activated. The father, John ‘Titor’ Webster was also shot, but was transported to a local hospital-.” I quickly shut it off.

         “Xeno, was that about you…?” She seems concerned, worried about me, when she shouldn’t.

         “Don’t mind it,” I say. “Come on, let’s-.” I open the front door and the first person I see is… “Lotus?!”

         For a moment, she seems shocked to see me, but then she seems both angry and upset. She raises her right hand and slaps me on the face, hard.

         “Ouch, that hurt!”

         “You haven’t even considered my feelings!” She shouts with tears in her eyes.

         “Huh?”

         “I thought you were dead…. I thought you were _dead_ , Webster!” She hugs me and weakly punches me. “You could’ve… you could’ve at least replied to my messages!”

         “I’m sorry, I…” I remember the messages I saw on my phone. “... lost my phone in the accident.”

         “You idiot… That’s such a _You_ thing to do… Say… Who is that?” She backs off and glances at Tenshi, who I nearly forgot was here.

         “Oh, that’s my girlfriend, Tenshi! Come over here.” Tenshi seems confused and doesn’t say anything. Perhaps she believes that this Lotus is still the same one we saw in the Fourth World.

         “Okay, so Lotus doesn’t know you yet. You’ll have to introduce yourself again, alright?”

         “Right!”

         At first, Lotus seems glad to meet Tenshi and is polite, but then she glares at me and her face tenses up. “Webster… what’s with your girlfriend?”

         “She’s just that… Is it strange, or something?”

         “Ignoring the fact that you neglected to tell me, did you think I wouldn’t notice those expensive-looking rings? Is that gold?”

         “Ahaha…. Well… We were just about to go… on a date. Care to join?”

         “Date, huh? No, I’d be… a third wheel.” Her expression seems slightly upset, disappointed even. I can’t blame her after all the bonding we went through. Knowing her for so long, about thirteen years, did get me awfully close. “By the way, what’s with the cosplay? Are you, like, a prince or something?”

         “Yes!” Tenshi grabs my left arm and looks at me. “Xeno is my Prince!”

         “Huh?” This leaves Lotus confused. While Tenshi isn’t lying, it’s certainly embarrassing to say in the normal world. “Well, have fun at whatever convention you’re going to…” We wave goodbye to each other as she walks away. That conversation could’ve gone better.

         Before we got outside, I come to the realization that it’s not a good idea to wear the clothes we have on at the moment. I pull Tenshi away from the door and tell her, “This world is different from ours. I’ll tell you these things right away just so you know. There is no royalty, so we have no authority here. Magic… isn’t used very commonly here, so try not to use it. Also, we should change our clothes.”

         “You don’t happen to have girls’ clothing, do you?” Tenshi asks. She has a point.

         “Well… No, but I’m sure you could get by wearing some of mine.”

         “I see!”

         I end up giving her some old clothing that doesn’t fit me anymore, but fits Tenshi. Naturally, she’s slightly smaller than I am so my own clothing would be too big. Of course, I spent the last year in the far future so all of my clothing feels slightly smaller. Now she’s wearing some pants, a long sleeved shirt, and a light jacket. I’ve tried my best to choose everything that doesn’t shout “men’s clothing,” but it’s still slightly awkward. I’m sure it’s because she’s always wearing a clean, elegant dress. I’m wearing a similar casual outfit, nothing too stylish. Then she asks a dangerous question,

         “How do I look, Xeno?”

         “I think you look… cute,” I reply.

         “Ehehehe…”

         “Come on, let’s go for a walk.” I take her hand and lead her to in whatever direction she feels like going in.

         We were outside for what seemed like an eternity. We explored downtown, tried some traditional food from several stands, explored the mall, and other various locations. We explored the city until our legs became sore. It almost seemed natural, for Tenshi and I to exist in this world. Ultimately, I need to decide on a world to live in. Once I finish off S.E.M, the Primordial will send me back here. If Lotus could travel to the future, then I could wait the several years until that technology becomes available and take a ride in such a machine to return. However, that would set a significant age difference between Tenshi and I, and I would likely die of old age before her. I want us to reach such an age together, and I’m sure Tenshi would want the same.

         Tenshi begins coughing. She seems a little pale, too. “Tenshi,” I ask her, “are you okay?”

         “My throat… it’s sore…” I quickly fetch the cough drops, which I conveniently bought before the time machine incident, in a drawer and unwrap one.

         “Here, suck on this and don’t swallow it. It’ll soothe your throat.”

         “Ah…” Tenshi sticks out here tongue. She expects me to manually put the drop on her tongue?! This seems lewd in some way… With little hesitation, I take the cough drop and place it on her tongue. Then, she reels it back in and closes her mouth. “Thank you, Xeno!” Her smile shines as bright as the sun.

         “Let me feel your head,” I say.

         “Right!” Immediately, she leans towards me and puts her forehead towards mine. For a moment, I thought she was going in for a kiss, so my heart decided to start running despite how we’ve done so several times already. After several seconds, she pulls back.

         “You’re hot…”

         “Xeno… you _make me_ hot…”

         “N-not like that! I mean, you have a fever! Come on, you need to lay down!”

         “Ehehehe…” I lead her to my room and lay her down on my bed. I also get a bowl of water and a face cloth to cool her down.

         “Are you alright? Are you hungry?”

         “Just a little bit. I’d love to try Precursor food! *cough, cough*”

         “Sit tight, I’ll get you something!” I run into the kitchen and check for anything I can make with ease. The first thing I see is instant noodles, so I grab the cup. I also boil some water and pour it into the cup. A few minutes later, I return to Tenshi with a fork.

         “Here, it’s just some noodles.” I hand the cup and fork to Tenshi, who’s now sitting up. I also made some for myself, so I go into the kitchen and get the cup.

         “Wow! This is delicious!” Tenshi is amazed at the instant noodles. The mix of vegetables and the flavoring does taste good, so I can’t blame her for thinking that some cheap food like this is good. I’m not a good cook, so I’ll have to have her eat other easy-to-make things.

         “There’s some other things I’d like you to try… I’ll make some for you tomorrow.” We sit beside each other on the bed and enjoy the instant noodles together. I wonder, would we be doing the same thing had she been born in this world? Would we still be together if I was born in her world? Well, we are together now and I suppose that’s all that matters.

 

**2 Days Later**

 

         Tenshi, by now, has recovered from her illness. I assume it was caused by the sudden change of environment. In fact, I recall falling ill after ending up in the Fourth World. I also allowed Tenshi to pick out some clothes. She bought a few different colored dresses and a golden-colored headband with a blue flower on it. I think it looks cute on her. Also, we’ve spent every moment next to each other in the even that I get warped back into the Fourth World, but nothing has happened so far.

         Tenshi has also been enjoying Precursor food, which used to be standard for me. She has enjoyed sandwiches made of things bought from the local deli, various cereals, and several oven-cooked meals. She especially seemed to enjoy the pizza, which aren’t even a concept in the Fourth World. Due to this, she’s been keeping a list of ingredients and instructions on how to make certain foods. For pizza, she’s noted how to make the dough, the tomato sauce, and which cheeses to put on. The thought of Tenshi cooking a homemade pizza makes my mouth water.

         Currently, we’re watching the television. There’s a movie, an old classic, called “Space Wars,” which has caught Tenshi’s attention. I don’t have the heart to tell her that it’s all fiction, especially the spaceships and laser weapons, so I let her watch it. Eventually, we get to a party where one character kisses the main heroine, Princess Leija. With Tenshi next to me, I get embarrassed and instinctively turn it off.

         “Xeno! I was watching that…” She seems slightly disappointed.

         “Well… that was the end of the movie, anyway. Come on, we should go to sleep!”

         “But… your face is bright red! Do you want to kiss like them?” I did not expect her to be so direct about the matter.

         “Wh-What? I know we’re a couple, but-.”

         “Xeno,” she gets up and places a hand on my face. “This is what couples do.” She forces herself forward and places her lips against my own. Her face, especially her lips, is warm. I can’t help but place my hand on her back and she does the same. For a moment, there’s silence, but then the buzzing returns. The electricity does, too. Finally, we see to be heading back.

         It’s a good thing I already put up a note on the front door for Lotus if she comes back. It reads,

_To Lotus,_

 

_Tenshi, my girlfriend, and I won’t be around for a while. We’ve decided to go somewhere far, far away from here together. I will be back at some point, I promise, but I don’t know when. Please, even if it takes months or years, just wait for me. Thank you._

 

_From Webster._

 

         As the blinding light fades, I can see a city from on top of a hill. At least, what used to be a city. It was modern with skyscrapers, like the one I used to live in, but it’s in ruins. There’s no power, even in the dark orange noon sky, windows are smashes, and there seems to be people wandering aimlessly in the streets. What… is this…? As I look closer, the people have torn clothes and are bloody. Tenshi seems to be unconscious, fortunately, so she can’t see this horrible sight. I hold her in my arms, tightly.

         I’ve seen this before, in the village that Ketsueki destroyed. When a person dies, the magic in their blood resurrects the corpse and triggers basic instincts such as walking and eating. When they bite a person, their life force is drained rapidly and can only be stopped with medicine or healing magic. This can only be prevented if there’s a low amount of magic in a person, or if the corpse is “blessed.” In other words, what I am seeing is a zombie apocalypse.

          I am terrified. What caused this? Is there anyone left down there? How long would Tenshi and I survive this environment? I can hear… a voice. I try to listen in, but it’s merely a whisper.

         “Hey, you. Get over here if you want to live!” I turn around and see a girl. She has black hair and light brown eyes, she wears an old school uniform covered with dirt and what seems to be dried blood. Her age seems to be around my own. She’s hiding behind a wall, but exposes her head so that I can see her. I follow her as she suggests. “Come on, down here!”

         I follow her into a basement filled with supplies. Water, food, and everything you’d need in an emergency. In fact, this basement isn’t just a basement, but a fallout shelter. “Who are you?” I ask the girl.

         “The name’s Shizuka. And you?”

         “I’m Webster,” I reply. “The girl here is Tenshi. We’re… together.”

         “It must’ve been hard to find those rings… What’s with you two, anyway? You seem too clean.”

         “Clean?” I question Shizuka. “Yeah, running water is hard to find these days. Same for electricity. This place was a rare find.”

         “What if I told you… that we’re time travelers, and we just ended up here.” I can’t think of a convenient excuse, so I just tell her the truth.

         “I heard about time travel research before… all of this. Something about recovering Precursor tech. Are you from the future of the past?”

         “Precursor?” Is it possible that this is the future of the Fourth World? Did the Sword of Time take us too far?

         “Before the world was reset twice, there lived an ancient civilization like ours. They apparently made a working time machine and sent a girl in. That’s the legend, anyway.”

         “Twice? I see…” If the world was reset twice, that means this is the Third World. The Sword of Time didn’t have enough energy to warp us back, I guess. Is this involuntary warping caused by unstable energy? I can faintly recall warping back to the First World several times, but I don’t remember what actually happened while I was there. It seems that what happened with the time machine is occurring again with my Spirit.

         “I’m guessing you want to go back to your own time,” Shizuka says.

         “If we wait it out, I think I could just use my Spirit. It’s out of energy or something.”

         “Spirit? What is that? Some sort of magic?”

         “You could call it that. Mine’s a sword made of electricity.”

         “While you’re here… Well, I don’t exactly trust you, but I don’t want to throw you out. How long do you need? You should prove your trustworthiness in the meantime.”

         “We should need about a day.” It took us three days to travel here, so logically we shouldn’t need long before I have enough energy to go forwards into the fourth world. “And what do you want me to do?” I ask.

         “There’s an school building around here. It has some sort of emergency shelter in it. Only some of the teachers knew about it, but I was told about it anyway.”

         “So you want me to get the supplies? Sounds simple enough.”

         “No, I did mention it was a shelter. That means there’s lots of _them_ there.”

         “I got the idea.” I’ve fought zombies before and I’ve read about them so I know almost everything about them. They easily become distracted by loud noises cause they can’t see very well and rely on feeling vibrations. “I don’t want Tenshi to become endangered, is there somewhere to lay her?”

         “Yeah, I’ve got a spare mattress down here. Put her here,” Shizuka says as she pulls out the mattress. Then I gently place Tenshi on it and write a note.

_To Tenshi,_

 

_DO NOT go outside, please. It is for your safety. I repeat, DO NOT go outside. I will return, likely a couple hours after you wake up, so don’t panic. I promise that I’ll be safe, so don’t worry. I’ll be back._

_From Webster._

 

“Alright, show me the place.”

         “Right.” Shizuka leads me outside and I follow.

         After following her for about twenty minutes, the school appears in front of us. The building was white, now covered in dirt flora. There’s three floors, plus the roof and the underground shelter. Like everywhere else, the windows are smashed for some reason. There’s nothing but silence in the entire area. Zombies are known to go dormant until they hear live prey.

         “Be careful. It’s swarming with them, despite how it works.”

         “I got it.”

         The building still stands silent as we enter. I was expecting a cliché development such as an alarm going off and attracting all of the local undead, but my luck is running high for now. “I’ve memorized the layout. Follow me,” Shizuka whispers. I do as I’m told.

         The basement has old concrete walls. It smells of dead flesh and mold. It’s almost awful enough to make me forget to breathe. I could’ve sworn I heard something move further in. Other than the odd noise I think I heard, there is nothing but the ringing of silence. Shizuka moves noiselessly as am I.

         “Come on, it’s this way.” Shizuka takes me hand and tugs me into another hallway. At the end is a set of steel doors. There’s a light next to it that’s glowing red, so there seems to be some power left in this building. Some of the rooms are also illuminated by dying lightbulbs.“Yes! It looks like it hasn’t been touched. Be careful when we get inside.”

         The steel door won’t budge. Due to its heaviness, it will create a lot of noise to open. In itself, opening it shouldn’t take much effort, but the sound will waken any nearby zombies and draw them to us. “What do we do?” I ask.

         “The only thing we _can_ do. Come on, help me open it.” Together, we pull one side of the set and it screeches almost loud enough to pierce my eardrums. Of course, some weak moans follow the screeching. The dead are rising. I guess we won’t have to worry about them sneaking up on us if we wake them all up! This was a shelter, so there’s maybe a couple hundred of them down here. I immediately look for a weapon.

         Before they close in on us, I locate a long, metal pole of some sort and wield it like a sword. It’s thick, so it’s hard to get a grip. I’m used to wielding a sword, so using a metal pole shouldn’t be much different. “What’s with your stance? Do you do kendo or something?” Shizuka questions me as she pulls out a knife and backs up. Kendo is a Japanese martial arts in which people duel using wooden, typically bamboo, swords.

          “Believe me or not, but swords are a big thing in the future!” I shout to her as a swing the pole at an undead’s head, killing it. They don’t feel pain, so shutting down the brain is the only thing that’s effective against them. Naturally, the quickest way to shut it down is trauma to the head. It’s all very cliché like some sort of comic book, but I guess stuff like this managed to manifest into reality.

         I see Shizuka kick in the leg of one zombie and them stabs it in the head after it lands on the ground. “You’re good!” I say.

         “You too, but save the compliments for your girl!” Shizuka then glances back forwards, but then freezes. In front of her is another student zombie, but this one must be different in some way. Her clothing is barely intact and covered with blood, as the rest of them are, but the skin isn’t nearly as rotten. She has blond hair and looks like she used to have blue eyes.

         “What’s wrong?!”

         “This girl… It’s… Sora!”  At this rate, Shizuka will get chomped or worse so I run towards the zombie, Sora, and ready my pole. “No! Don’t!” Shizuka cries. Sora stumbles slowly towards us in front of the rest of the zombies. This girl must’ve been a close friend of Shizuka before this outbreak.

         Then things take a turn for the worse. As I was phasing out, Sora made her way towards us, charged for Shizuka, and bit her right wrist. She drops her knife. “No… Dammit!”

         “Calm down! You’ll be fine!” I push the zombie named Sora away from Shizuka and try my best not to cause damage. Then I grab her hand and lead her to an open area.

         “You’re wrong!” She screams. “I’m bitten, this is practically a death sentence!”

         “No, _you’re_ the one who’s wrong! Just focus on getting through these guys!” I take another swing at another zombie. They begin to close in on us.

          “R-right!” She seems shocked at my words, but she obeys. Magic must exist for the zombies to also exist, so I find it strange that she isn’t aware of healing magic. Perhaps, due to this world’s lack of understanding on the subject, healing magic isn’t as effective. Whatever the case may be, it doesn’t matter just yet. There should be a full day before Shizuka falls ill and turns into one of _them._

         We continue to fight for the next couple minutes down the corridor and into a separate room. Being bitten seemed to make Shizuka upset, so she begins to fight more aggressively. After managing to reach the room, we slam a set of doors and lock it. All of the undead in this room were lured out by the commotion, so we’re fortunate. It will only buy us a couple of minutes, so we hurry. From the other side, the undead slam their hands on the door, which makes me nervous.

         “What do you mean, I’ll be fine?” Shizuka asks. She believes I’m lying to her, but I don’t blame her.

         “Magic is a thing, isn’t it? Just use it.”

         “Healing magic? It can only heal scratches, bruises, and treat sunburns!”

         “Fine, then let me see your wrist.” I offer my hand. Remaining calm is the key to getting her to trust me, so I do so.

         “Alright, but I will only believe you once I see this work. Even if you are some time traveler, I can’t trust you when you say you can cure me.” She places her own hand in mine. There’s visible marks where the teeth bit into her, and there’s lots of blood. It makes me uneasy, so I immediately begin treatment. First, I take some disinfectant, soak a rag, and dab it on the bite wound. Shizuka briefly grunts in pain, but endures it. Afterward, I use a healing spell to seal the wound. The golden glow illuminates the room and reveals boxes of food, water, and medical supplies. Due to my lack of practice in healing, it leaves some scars.

         “A-Amazing! Are you some sort of specialist?”

         “No… this is standard where I’m from. You’ll be fine, I swear. I’ve seen this stuff before.”

         “I’m sorry about what I just said to you,” she apologizes, “I… I trust thought I was dead, but you managed to help me… I’m alive… so let’s grab what we can and run.”

         We locate a couple of duffle bags, grab them, and fill them to their maximum capacity. I ensure that there’s food, water, and a first aid kit. It’s heavy, so I wear mine on my back. “This will last me a couple weeks! Thank you!”

         “It’s not a problem,” I tell her. “Let’s find a way out of here.”

         “There should be an exit over there,” Shizuka points to a dark corner. “It’s locked from the inside, so we couldn’t get in from outside.”

         When I walk over to the corner, I see the set of concrete stairs and the doors leading to the surface. Typically, these types of doors are locked from the outside, but this one is locked from the inside. I suppose things can go differently when the world is reset.

         “How do we open it?” I ask.

         “Let me see that pole,” Shizuka extends a hand to me. As she told me to, I hand it to her. “You see, a little _force_ will get most things to open…”

         “Force?!” Before she answers my question, she bashes the lock repeatedly with the pole until the lock busts and until the metal pole is dented.

         “See?” She opens the doors and heads outside. “Operation was a success,” she whispers to herself. “This entrance will let me come in and out for more supplies, too.”

         “Well, it’s good for you, at least. I suppose I do have a duty to aid the people.”

         “A duty to aid the people? What are you, some hero of justice?”

         “I’m a prince, actually. The girl I’m with, she’s a princess. Like I said, we’re together.” I smile and scratch my head. If I told myself from the past the same thing, I wouldn’t even believe it. Shizuka stares at me with a doubtful face as I expected. I shouldn’t tell her about the world reset because that would mean that her efforts to survive everyday here are futile.

         She laughs at me, thinking me to be delusional. “Come on, let’s go before someone sees us.”

         “Right,” I say before following her.

         We arrive at the house which we were at before we left. I immediately head for the basement which was were we left Tenshi. However, when I open the door and head down, she’s nowhere to be seen. The note is in a different position, so she, or someone, touched it. My heart rate increases. “Tenshi?” I call out to her. There’s no response. “Tenshi?!”

         “Check upstairs!” Shizuka suggests. I told Tenshi to not go outside, so it’s likely she’s somewhere in this house. The first floor seems to be vacant, so I head upstairs to the second floor. In the bedroom, staring at the window, is Tenshi with her hand against the glass.

         “Tenshi!” I run up behind her and hug her. “I was worried something happened to you!”

         “Xeno… This world is scary!” She must’ve seen the undead wandering outside from the window, along with the abandoned neighborhood. I let her go and she turns around to face me. “Is this your world?” She asks me.

         Because I don’t want to tell Shizuka that the world was reset a third time, I end up saying, “I don’t think so, but we need to head back. My Spirit needs to gain energy, but it shouldn’t take long.”

         “That’s good,” she says. I see Shizuka leaning against the doorway observing us from the reflection in the window. I turn around and face her.

         “Is there something in your mind?”

         “Not really,” she replies. “I was just thinking that you two are cute together.”

         “Ehehe,” Tenshi giggles. Shizuka smiles at us warmly and doesn’t say anything. There’s an embarrassing moment of silence, so I find something to say without thinking on it.

         “So, what’s for dinner?”

         “Hmm… I was thinking of heating up some of those canned goods. I suppose I can let you both have some. I’ve got plenty of stuff now, so don’t worry about it.”

         “Alright.”

         About a half hour later, we’re all sitting in the basement eating beans from cans. Tenshi and I are taking our time, but Shizuka seems to be eating faster than us, as if she’s starving. In fact, she more than likely is given the situation.

         “Do you two need to locate a time machine or something? I know about a place in the city where they were researching one or something, Shizuka asks.

         “No, I can just use my Spirit,” I reply before taking another mouthful.

         “Right, you keep mentioning that. Is it something I can see?”

         “Yeah.” I chant the summoning phrase in my head and it manifests in my free hand. I didn’t use it earlier to preserve its energy for the next time leap. After Shizuka gets a good look at it, I dispel it.

         “I can’t say I’ve seen magic like _that_ at all, not even on T.V or anything. Your skill with magic is extraordinary, too. I guess you really _are_ from the future, huh?”

         “Well,” I speak after I take my last bite, “I’ve had enough zombies for one day. I’m gonna hit the bed…”

         “You said you’re some sort of royalty? Do you prefer safety or comfort?” She asks.

         Before I can get in a single syllable, Tenshi speaks for me. “Safety. We’d like to be as safe as possible.”

         “Alright, I’ll let you two sleep on the spare mattress down here. Oh, and I almost forgot…”

         “What is it?” I ask her.

         “I owe you my life, really. Is there something I can get for you?”

         “No, not really…”

         “R-really? I force you to endanger yourself, you save me, and you don’t ask for anything in return?” Shizuka seems shocked. Judging from all of my video games and shows, I can guess that people willing to help others aren’t easy to come across in the apocalypse.

         “Like I said, I have a duty to help people. The only thing I want is to go home with Tenshi.”

         She scratches her head. “Huh… I suppose I can’t for you to take a reward… Well, goodnight then.”

         “Goodnight,” Tenshi and I say at the same time. We retreat the the mint-condition mattress on the floor. I can’t say that it’s very comfortable, but at least it’s safer than going upstairs.

         With what I saw the other day still in mind, I get closer to Tenshi. I believe that I heard her giggle very softly as I did so. She seems so childlike and innocent, but can be quite bold when she needs to. I remember when I laid, broken, in the floor in the Guild and Tenshi came to save me. _So even if you aren’t from this world, even if you are a Precursor, don’t say sad things like that! Don’t ever say that you don’t belong here,_ she said to me. It seems that she’ll never, ever, let me go and I must admire her for that. Just as she would to me, I’ll never let her go.

          _Tenshi stands in front of me, with her back turned to me. She is still, so I approach her. Slowly, she turns to face me. At first, nothing seems wrong. However, after a moment of examining her, there’s blood all over her. Her face is partially covered in splatters, and there’s several stab wounds in her torso. There’s so much blood…_

_“Xeno,” she says, “...can you save me, too?”_

         I immediately wake up, breathing heavily like the other night. I quickly glance to my right to ensure Tenshi’s there again, which she is. I hold her hand and she wakes up as if she can sense my distress. “Another nightmare?” She asks.

         “Yeah… it’s… just a nightmare…” I say, but what I saw was very real. Even if I did shift the timelines, I still saw Tenshi die that day. I can’t change my own memories, so it will haunt me for a while.

         “Xeno… Have you noticed yet?”

         “Huh?” I look at Tenshi, who is smiling, then I take a look at the room. We’re no longer in my own house, or a basement, but the manor. We must’ve been warped some time during our sleep. In an instant, I feel the relief. “Oh… We’re home at last.”


	17. Work/A Day Off

Chapter 17, “Work/A Day Off”

 

         As I get out of bed, my foot lands on something hard and causes me to fall. “Xeno! Are you okay?” Tenshi shouts from the other side of the bed.

         “Yeah, I’m fine… Oh, what’s this…?” I notice a smell metal box beside the bed. On the side of it, it says  _ WEBSTER.  _ There’s a four-digit passcode on it. Then I remember that this box was here the entire time. At first, my memories were locked up by the Primordial, but then they came back to me. In fact, he told me that the code was  _ 2053\.  _

         With this in mind, I reach for the box and enter in the code on the keypad. There’s a beep with each digit I enter, and another one upon being unlocked. I feel Tenshi’s gaze above me from the bed. 

         I slowly open the box and reveal its contents. What I see makes me tear up instantly. There’s a picture of my father and I when we first went fishing together. I got a bass and so we took a picture of us, bass included, before releasing it. There’s also a pendant that looks golden in color, and has some sort of purple gem in the center of it. “This belonged to Mom…” 

         “Your parents, are they okay?” Tenshi’s question brings me back to reality after I was phasing out. 

         “You might’ve heard the news the other day when we were in the Old World. Dad was in a rough condition, and Mom… We lost her one day in an attack…” 

         I still remember it clearly. I was only about eight years old at the time. We were at a shopping mall when it happened. We were merely walking, about to leave, before  _ they  _ broke in.  The Global Unification Society, G.U.S, the same people who were responsible for the attack at A.T.R.O. Mere terrorists who claimed they wanted world peace. They all had dangerous weapons, including automatic rifles.

         They got ahold of her, my mother. They held her at gunpoint and demanded they were to be given funds for their operations, money. Their “goal” was a joke. All they wanted was the money for themselves, I could sense it. When no one cooperated, they got more hostages, even myself. Then they shot her. I couldn’t do anything because I was being restrained by another man. The blood splattered everywhere, even onto myself. After that day, I never went outside on my own. That is, until I was warped into the future and given a chance to start things over. 

         “You’re crying, Xeno.” Tenshi is now in front of me, wiping my tears. I can’t count how many times she’s done this same exact thing by now. It’s just proof that no matter what I do, she won’t tire of caring for me. 

         “Don’t worry about me, I’m just…” I take a breath. “I’m glad I have you, Tenshi.” She giggles and smiles at me. “Here,” I hand the pendant to Tenshi, “You should take it.”

         “Xeno… are you sure? It belongs to you…” For a moment, Tenshi doesn’t seem like her usually, cheerful self. Now she seems more mature, like the noble princess she is.

         “No, it belongs to you now. I’m sure Mom would want you to have it.” Tenshi hesitates, but then accepts the pendant. She places it around her neck and shows it to me. 

         “It fits you. It’s like you were  _ meant  _ to have it, even.” 

         “Thank you, Xeno.” She stares at me as if she wanted to say something else, but my stomach growls loudly and interrupts the mood. “Come on!” She grabs my hand and pulls me up from the ground. “Let’s make breakfast!” 

         “Right!”

 

**Several Hours Later**

 

         “Excuse me my Lady. We have received a letter from His Majesty.” A guard speaks from the front door to Tenshi, who opened it upon hearing knocking. In his hand is a letter written on paper. I can also see a horse drawn carriage behind the gate. It’s unusual because couriers usually come on a single horse. 

         “Thank you,” Tenshi says while taking the letter. She then unfolds it and reads the contents. From over her shoulder, I also read it.

 

_ To my beloved daughter and my son-in-law, _

 

_ I have fallen ill and am unable to tend to my duties as King. As such, I request that you both travel to my palace and substitute as I am treated. I will reward the both of you for your troubles. Your mother will also be with you during the escort. _

 

_ Sincerely, your father. _

_ P.S: I shall allow you two to sleep in my chambers. Keep it clean for me, will you? _

 

         Things can’t be good if Tenshi’s, our, mother is around. Not in the sense that anything bad has happened, but things are bound to become a little chaotic. Then I hear her voice from the carriage. “Tenshi, Webster! Hello!” Immediately, I can feel her aura of ulterior motives. 

         “Mistress, Master…” The maid sneaks up behind us and surprises me, but not Tenshi. “You two go on. I shall tend to Fu.” She holds a carrot in her hand, Fu’s favorite. I don’t have to worry about the demon child just yet, either, because she’s with Lotus in the city. I’ve been thinking that I would name her  _ Shizuka _ after the girl Tenshi and I encountered in the Third World. 

         “Right!” Tenshi and I say at the same time.

         Of course, I get seated on the opposite side of the carriage so that Tenshi and Mother can whisper to each other all they want while I can’t hear a thing. “So, how have things been between you two?” She asks. 

         “Well, nothing  _ bad _ has happened. Everything’s as usual,” I tell her.  

         “The same as usual?! Tenshi! Explain!” 

         “That’s not true! Xeno gave me this pendant, see?” Tenshi tries to calm down Mother, but fails.

         “Giving gifts is basic! Basic! You must go beyond that! You two must act like the married couple you are!” 

         “But Mother-!”

         “No buts! Our bloodline  _ must  _ continue! I  _ will  _ live to see my own grandchildren! You there, son-in-law of mine! What say you?!” 

         “Ahaha, well…”

         After several hours of an awkward conversation, we arrive at the palace. The weather today is alright, but the temperature is high. There exist spells that alter the temperature of a given indoor space, similar to air conditioning, so everything is fine from inside the palace. 

         “So, I still don’t understand. Why exactly does Tenshi live in the manor and not here in the palace?” 

         “Well,” Mother replies, “There’s quite a bit to that. Due to political business, I could not raise her myself, nor could Meiyo.” Meiyo is the name of the King, my father-in-law, and I nearly forgot. “The palace wasn’t designed to raise children, either, so we had the maid take responsibility for her.” 

         “Who designs a palace without children in mind?!”

         “It’s a mystery for sure, but it’s what it is… Excuse me, now. I have my own business to tend to. You two should follow the guards.”

         “I got it,” I say. 

         Tenshi and I follow the guards escorting is to an office on the highest floor. In the center is a desk with a comfortable-looking chair. On top of the desk is a large stack of paperwork and behind it is a window with a great view of the nearby forest and countryside. This must be where the King himself does works. 

         “My Lord, you are to go through the papers and sign them, or veto them if you wish. Please keep His Majesty’s wishes in mind. My Lady, you are to accompany him until you are needed elsewhere,” the guard informs us of our duties. Do I really just have to go through some paperwork? Sigh… 

         Tenshi immediately goes to the window and gazes out of it. “Wow… It’s so pretty! I’ve never been this high up in the palace before!” I smile at her before sitting down in the chair. 

         After spending a moment to look around, I realize that this room is really large for a mere office. If there’s more rooms like this, it could easily fit a child’s bedroom, let alone a normal one. There must be some reason behind why Tenshi was forced to live outside of the palace, and really far away. Before I can come to a logical conclusion of any sort, Tenshi sneaks up behind me.

         “Xeno, Xeno! Do you need help with the papers?” 

         “Hmm… I haven’t even started yet, but I’ll ask you if I need help.”

         “Okay!”

         I take one of the papers off of the stack and place it in the center of the desk. “What’s this?” 

         For the most part, the reports were about the country’s economics. Things seem to be going smoothly, but there’s some issues in less populated regions where trading is low, which means there’s little money circulating. In these areas, I’ve slightly lowered the taxes and agreed to the construction of roads that go through these lowly populated areas. 

         There’s also issues with crime. There’s theft, murder, and every sort of crime thinkable in each region, but each region has different crime rates. I’ve agreed to transport guards in areas with low rates to areas with higher, or increasing, rates. It seems that the town closest to our manor is very peaceful, and it’s the closest of its kind to the palace. Sending Tenshi to anywhere else that’s closer would put her at risk. Things by the palace are especially chaotic due to political disagreements despite the country’s peace. 

         Due to the peace, there’s also little need for war supplies and troops. I would keep the amount of troops as it is, or even lower it, but there’s something going on revolving around me. I seem to be a target for S.E.M, who is active in this country. Due to their recent activity, and my own experience, I concluded that all cities should advertise the recruitment of knights. When the time comes, I’ll have troops ready to defend at my fingertips.

         Also, there were several letters sent by ambassadors and leaders of other countries to update us on their relationships with our country. Everything is mostly peaceful except the occasional disagreement. There shouldn’t be any international breakout of war within, at least, the next decade or so if things continue this smoothly. 

         There was one letter in particular that I read, too. It was from an ambassador or is from a neighboring country. His name is Heiwa Ein. He stated that he is going to visit the palace  _ today _ to inspect everything, to ensure everything is alright. I did find it odd that the date of his visit and the date of my arrival here and the same, but all it means is that I’ll have to attend to meeting. 

         When the time for the ambassador’s arrival came, a guard knocked, entered the room, and offered to escort me. Because I don’t know the layout of the palace, I accepted. When I first saw Mister Ein, he seemed familiar in some way. He has  a strange, intimidating aura that I’ve felt before. Despite the familiarity, his face is unrecognizable. He has blue eyes, black and messy hair, and a lively complexion. His outfit is a formal suit, similar to what I’m wearing at the moment. 

         “Greetings, my Lord,” he says to me. “I merely came to inspect the palace to ensure there’s no foul business going on behind the scenes. Say, is the King present today?”

         “Unfortunately, he has fallen ill recently and must remain in the infirmary. Should I accompany you?” Tenshi is currently with our mother so she’s not with me. 

         “If you wish to, you may. I won’t cause any trouble, I can assure you.” Mister Ein’s voice sounds familiar, but I can’t figure it out. I brush it off as nothing. 

         For several minutes, he walks around in the important rooms such as the war council room, the throne room, and even the King’s chambers. While he was in each room, he examined everything from documents to the people that are present in the room. However, now we’re in the hallway and we’re staring out of a window. 

         “This is a beautiful country, is it not?” Ein asks me. 

         “Yeah, it really is. I’m proud to say that I am the son-in-law of the guy that’s in charge of it all.” 

         “Watching this landscape, it’s….  _ entertaining. _ ” 

         “Is it, now?” I question. There’s nothing going on outside except the movement of animals. 

         “Indeed, it is. I can appreciate this country’s state of peace. But do you know what unites people the most?”

         “I’m afraid not,” I say. 

         “A common enemy. That is what we are, after all.”

         “ _ We?! _ ” I panic for a moment. 

         “Indeed, indeed. What we seek is to unite not merely this country, but the entire world. What could be better than the entire world acting as a single power?”

         “What…?!” It comes to my realization that what Ein is speaking of is the same exact goal that the terrorist, G.U.S, aimed for in the Old World. Of course, I can’t ignore the similarities between the Society of Evil Mages and the Global Unification Society. The clues are connecting together. How long was this going on?

         “Your face, boy. It’s the same as your father’s when I told him you were killed by our hands.”

         “You… You were the one who was in charge of the attack that day, weren’t you?! On A.T.R.O!” 

         “What? Did you think that S.E.M titling ourselves as evil wasn’t intentional? We’re ‘evil!’ We are your common enemy that will unite the world’s powers! World peace can be ours!”

         “And you need me to be your catalyst… You… How dare you?!” I summon the Sword of Time in my right hand. 

         “I told you, I won’t be causing trouble today,” he says with a smug expression and tone. “I merely wish to talk.”

         “Then talk!” I “sheathe” my Spirit, but my anger is still present. I’m in a position where I can’t attack him unless her hits first. If I were to attack him now, I’d be deemed a tyrant and jailed or even executed. If I still had the same mindset as I did when Tenshi first found me, I definitely would’ve made that mistake. 

         “Firstly, you might have noticed that I am your  _ nemesis _ .” He casts a spell and his ace morphs into that of Seishin’s. His voice changes slightly as well. “This is the pinnacle of magic, at  _ our _ fingertips only… No mortal outside of S.E.M can access it.” 

         “I knew it… It was you the whole time!” I still don’t attack him. I still can’t attack him. 

         He laughs at me. “Secondly, I must present an offer to you. I know your situation. Every single thing… I can guarantee that you’ll stay here with your beloved angel if you agree to join me. Together we’ll bring chaos upon the world until  _ everyone _ unites to fight us. I can also guarantee your safety.” 

         “No. I would never join you. You’re willing to hurt the common folk for your goals, I would never.”

         “So be it!” A black mist appears and conceals Seishin. When it clears up, he’s nowhere to be seen. 

        “Honestly, that guy…” I take a breath and sigh. “Who knew that he was a Precursor, too…” 

         Footsteps come running from around the corner. Not knowing who it is, I tense up. The lightness of each step makes me think it’s a mage ready to attack.

         “Xeno! Are you okay?” It’s Tenshi, wearing a new dress that defines her curves more than her other one. Our mother must’ve given it to her… 

         “Yeah, I’m fine… Just fine…”

         “I heard the shouting and the guards got scared! What happened?” 

         “Nothing… Nothing important. I’ll tell you later, come on.” 

         “No, Xeno. Don’t lie for my sake…” I forgot that Tenshi can read facial expressions like words on a page. When someone lies, she can pick it up in an instant. 

         “Alright, I’ll tell you… Seishin was here. He’s gone now, so don’t worry.”

         “You mean that dangerous man? He was here?”

         “Yeah, but I told you, he’s gone.”

         “But he was here!” My image of Tenshi shatters in front of me. She becomes serious, and nervous. I’ve never seen her in such a panicked state before. “We have to assign more guards here, we can’t risk being attacked at our country’s center!” 

         “You’re not wrong,” I sigh. “Come on, I’ll have to fill out the paperwork.” We hurry up to the office again. 

         After our work for the day was done, the servants offered to cook for us and we accepted. Because we’re at the King’s palace, the foods, including salads made up of vegetables, fruits, meats, and everything else you would expect on a dinner plate, are all of the highest available quality. Personally, I prefer Tenshi’s home cooking, but I don’t mind the food here. I was never really a picky eater. The King was never present at the large dinner table due to his illness, but there were many high ranking officers and others who have authority in the kingdom. 

         The King is still in the infirmary, so we’re sleeping in his chambers tonight. There’s a large window facing the front of the bed with the curtain half closed. The bed is large and soft, ideal with a king and queen to sleep together in. It’s very similar to the bed in Tenshi’s manor, but it’s notably higher in quality. To describe it, laying on it is like sleeping upon a cloud. The blanket is also very comfortable, and is actually somewhat heavy. Alongside this, Tenshi is clinging to my back with her head against me. As I lay, I hear her whisper, “I love Xeno…” It makes me smile a little and I reach my hand for hers. After about fifteen minutes, we both fall asleep. 

         Upon waking up, I see an unfamiliar ceiling. For a moment, I question where I am before realizing that we’re in the palace. Tenshi is on the opposite side of the bed and is facing the opposite direction. The sunlight embraces her body, while I remain in the shadow. Sometimes she moves around a lot in her sleep. On even rarer occasions, I can hear her whisper my name in her sleep. I wonder what she dreams about these days. 

         I feel guilty about it, but I have to wake her up. Tenshi has to attend a meeting today, and I have to fill out more papers. “Hey, Tenshi,” I say softly while grabbing her shoulder. “It’s time to get up.” 

         “Xeno… Don’t leave me… Don’t leave me…” I get up, walk over to her side of the bed, and crouch down. There’s tears in her eyes, so she must be having a bad dream. 

         I take her hand again. “It’s okay, I’m here.” And then her eyes slowly begin to open. 

         “Xeno…” After blinking several times, she begins to get up while still holding my hand. She just won’t let go. 

         “Come on, we have things to do. Let’s do good today!”

         “Okay!” Tenshi then becomes energetic, as if she had already been awake for a while, and leads me to the room’s exit.

         After several hours of agonizing paperwork, the guards greet me, and behind them is the King. He appears well, so I assume he’ll take it from here. “My boy!” He exclaims. I’m surprised that he addressed me so informally. “You must’ve exhausted yourself!”

         “Looking at papers for hours straight is… Well, I have no idea how  _ you  _ manage,” I say. 

         “Indeed, indeed. I did mention a reward. Are you ready to hear?”

         “Alright, hit me.” 

         “We own a beach not too far from here! I arranged a carriage to carry you, Tenshi, and your friends there!” 

         “Indeed, indeed!” he says again. “Your friends are here at this very moment! Downstairs, in the throne room! You can verify it yourself!”

         “Alright.” I place the feather next to its inkwell. I also make sure the stack of papers in front of me is neat before standing up. “Oh, and thanks in advance,” I say as I pass the King. He chuckles and smiles at me. I was always surprised at how easy going he his. I nearly expected him to have my head say goodbye to the rest of my body upon hearing Tenshi’s confession. I suppose this is why he is seen as a good King. 

         Questions linger as I walk down the stairs. Which friends did he bring, I wonder… Lotus? Shinrai? Both? No, Nevermind that… What kind of swimsuit would Tenshi wear? I couldn’t see her in anything that exposes much skin. Her complexion is somewhat pale, but I’ve never seen her with tan before. Does she even know how to swim? Well, it’s not like these are important. I should be thinking about why Seishin-

         “Huh? A trip to the beach?! I was told that this was an official meeting regarding my knighthood!” That voice, it undoubtedly belongs to Shinrai. I can hear her armor moving around from here. She must’ve tried to appear as formal as possible. As I walk around the corner, I can see her talking with Tenshi and Lotus. 

         “Shinrai? You’re causing quite the commotion over there…” I see her face quickly turn red before she glances away from her. Her affection for me hasn’t changed one bit. At least she can control herself. “I am not! In fact, I was glad to hear I could go to the beach before I saw you come around!” 

         I grin and say, “Were you now?” She instantly becomes agitated. So much to the point where she can’t even put her anger into words. 

         Lotus tries to hold back, but ends up laughing out loud. “What’s the matter?” I ask her. 

         “Nothing at all! Nothing at all! It’s just that… you have some interesting friends, Webster.” 

         “You don’t need to tell me that.” 

         “Hey! You two! Don’t just talk about me as if I weren’t here!” Shinrai demands attention. I notice Tenshi laughing almost silently, trying not to be noticed. To break the awkwardness, I face her and ask, “Do you have a swimsuit?”

         “Yes!” She replies. “I have one for you and the others as well!” 

         “So, when do we go?”

         “Right now!” She seizes my hand and starts running for the exit. We’re in public, even in the King’s palace in front of everyone with scary amounts of authority, so I’m slightly embarrassed. Shinrai and Lotus follow us. I meant to ask Lotus about the child we found, but I didn’t get a chance. Well, I guess we’re going to the beach!

         The temperature is somewhere around twenty-six degrees Celsius. This area specifically seems unnaturally tropical compared to the rest of the region. I originally thought this country was landlocked, so this was a pleasant surprise. Currently, I’m sitting under a tree with my feet out of the shade. The grains of sand are warm beneath my feet.

         Tenshi is next to me in her swimsuit. It’s pure white and reveals a little make skin than I’m comfortable with, showing off a lot of her torso and her back, but she chose it herself. Lotus is wearing a darker colored suit that covers her entire torso, almost like a school swimsuit. Shinrai is wearing a suit similar to Tenshi’s, but it’s red. My suit resembles a pair of shorts, and are dark blue in color. The texture is similar to that I could find in the Old World. I guess some things are more “modern” than others in this world. 

         “Xeno, aren’t you going to play with the others?” Tenshi questions me with a curious face. I can’t tell her that I was an antisocial introvert in my past life… 

         “I’m not sure what to do. I could go swimming, but I don’t feel like it at the moment.” 

         “Hmm…” Tenshi tilts her head. “We could play with a ball!”

         “A ball? Did you bring one?” I look around for anything that resembles a beach ball, but I don’t see anything notable.

         “No, but I know a spell! We could use it to play with!”

         “Alright. Let’s see it!”

         After a short chant, a white glowing orb begins to manifest above Tenshi’s hand, which is facing towards the sky. It continues to grow until it reaches the size of a beach ball. It’s not blinding to look at, but it’s certainly bright. 

         “What the heck is that?” Lotus notices us and points to the orb.

         “We can use it as a ball,” I reply. I take the orb from Tenshi’s toss it. It’s solid, but surprising light. What would this spell be used for? “Catch!” 

         Lotus fumbles a little bit, but ends up catching it. “No fair! I wasn’t ready! Here, catch  _ this! _ ” She tosses the ball into the air hits it like a volleyball. I immediately deflect it and Shinrai catches it. And then a familiar, yet annoying, voice blasts in my head as if I were wearing headphones.

         “ _ Master! Master! Allow me to participate in this as well! _ ” I look at the flame-shaped scar on my right wrist and see that it’s glowing bright purple. 

         “Alright, alright… Konton, I summon thee!” Even before I finish the chant, she manifests in front of me. Instead of her cloak, she has a swimsuit like everyone else. It’s dark purple, which matches her Dark Flame. For a moment, I forgot about something important.

         “Where’s… Hikari?” After the realization hit me, I feel my heart sink. Konton, Shinrai, and Tenshi notice, but Lotus seems confused. “Lotus, I’ll tell you later… Now’s the time for happy memories, not sad ones!” A wave of optimistic energy overcomes me. It feels more like Tenshi places a spell on me than my own words, but I guess being with her for so long affected my way of thinking. 

         “Xeno is right!” Tenshi shouts. “Come on, let’s play!” Everyone else seemingly falls under the same “spell,” and Lotus seems smug. 

         “Let’s have a game,” Lotus says with an intimidating grin. “If the ball lands on the opposite side of  _ this line,”  _ she drags her foot across the sand and creates a line, “then you score. We play until fifteen points. The winner gets to ask a question.” 

         “Alright, I can do that. Tenshi, are you up for it?” I look at her and she nods aggressively with a determined look on her face. “Alright! Let’s get started!” 

         We split into to teams. Team one is Shinrai and Lotus, and team two is Tenshi and I. Konton is acting as a referee. Lotus serves the ball first. When it makes it’s way over to our side, I jump and hit the ball over to the other side as if there were a net. Tenshi observers carefully as do so. I’m not sure if volleyball exists already, or if Shinrai just caught on quickly, but she seems to know how to play. She hits the ball and it goes towards Tenshi. Tenshi doesn’t seem to know what to do, so I set the ball into the air. 

         “Tenshi! Hit it!” I shout.

         “Right!” With her right hand, she hits the ball towards Lotus, who jumps and slams the ball directly into my face. 

         “Ow, ow, ow…” 

         “Xeno! Are you alright?” Tenshi asks. 

         “Yeah, I’m fine… Hey! That one doesn’t count!” Normally, that would be a point for team Lotus, but I didn’t think she would play dirty. 

         “What? You afraid to lose, Webster?” Lotus teases me. 

         “No! Of course not! Come on, let’s go again!”

         The score ended up being fifteen to eight. The losing side was… team Tenshi. Of course, this was verified by Konton who was keeping track of the ball. It was a fair game even though Tenshi was a beginner at it. It’s time for Lotus to ask her question. 

         “Alright. Nothing too difficult, at least it shouldn’t be. How’d you two meet?” She looks at Tenshi curiously. “I saw her, you know. Before this, I mean.” At first, I wonder how Lotus could’ve seen Tenshi before, but then I remember that Tenshi and I were warped back to the first civilization temporarily. 

         “I was unconscious on the road and she just took me in,” I reply. “I stayed at her place at her place after that, and we were friends.” 

         “Oh? How’d you become a Prince?” 

         “She… um… confessed to me about a month later.” I glance over at Tenshi to see her giggle to herself. She must be thinking about how confessing to me was the “greatest decision of her life,” or something. I can tell by the look on her face. Lotus, on the other hand, seems sad but keeps a smile. She must be disappointed about how I’m with Tenshi, but she doesn’t seem to be against it at all. “Do you mind if I ask you a couple questions?” 

         “Only… if you beat me at something else! You suck a volleyball!” 

         “Hey, hey! You played it as a sport in high school! The game clearly wasn’t fair!” 

         “Keep talking, loser!” Lotus and I continue to make up for lost time, which seems to be several years on Lotus’ side, while Shinrai and Konton stare in curiosity. They don’t know about concepts such as high school or college. Here in the fourth civilization, you get raised depending on which job you want. Often, you take on whatever your parents do and never move up the social ladder. 

         Tenshi, however, seems jealous. She did state that she was going to keep me all to herself that one time, so I can see why. I decide to back off a little even though I’m not necessarily doing anything wrong. After all, I don’t like seeing Tenshi upset. 

         “So, you said you’d answer my questions if I beat you at something else, didn’t you?” I ask Lotus.

         “That’s right! Did you think of something?” She seems awfully energetic for someone who’s looks to be thirty years old. She hasn’t changed that much in whatever amount of time has passed, I guess. She was, and is, always optimistic. 

         “I guess we could see who can swim the fastest… Team Tenshi vs Team Lotus, let’s find out!” 

         “You’re on!” Lotus is always full of energy like Tenshi, but her personality is less shy. She’s always playing some sort of sport and is in greater physical shape than I am. Unfortunately for her, I remember taking my swimming lessons as a kid. Lotus never had the luxury and had to learn how to swim on her own. To be fair, she did it before me… Still, I remember the techniques. 

         We’re standing in the water which is about a meter deep. It’s cold, but it feels good after spending so so much time in the sun. “Alright! Whoever reaches  _ there _ ,” I point to a destination which is about an eighth of a kilometer away. 

         “Got it!” Shinrai readies herself.

         “Understood!” Tenshi glares at the “finish line.” Konton is watching from the shore. 

         “Really? That’s it? I could go for longer!” Lotus brags as if this were a test of endurance instead of speed. I can’t help but think about how hard she’s going to lose.

         “Ready, and… go!” Instantly, everyone takes off. Lotus and I are tied, and Tenshi is slightly behind Shinrai. I push the water harder, and kick faster. I’m now focused purely on swimming and not in my surroundings. 

         When I stop, I can’t believe my eyes. I did think about how Lotus probably can’t swim faster than me, but it’s another thing to actually see it. She’s behind only by several seconds, followed by Shinrai and Tenshi. Tenshi is somewhat weak physically so I’m not surprised by the results. After a moment, everyone stops swimming and stands in the water.

         “Xeno, Xeno! Did you win?” Tenshi seems excited. 

         “Yeah! I’m gonna ask Lotus my question now…”

         “Don’t be afraid to ask anything!” The word, anything, echoes in my head.

         “Alright… Lotus, how did you get here, and why?” 

         She closes her eyes and hesitates for a moment, but then answers. “After the time machine incident, I decided to stop what I was doing and do some research on my own. After a couple years, I proposed a thesis and I was hired by A.T.R.O. I won’t explain how the time machine actually works, it’s a whole bunch of sciency stuff, but we ended up replicating the prototype that your Dad made. It took You wouldn’t believe the things I saw looking for you…” 

         “Looking for me?” When I ask, Lotus briefly blushes but quickly cools down. 

         “Entire civilizations crumbled… I thought you really were dead, but I kept going forward and it was like everything was just reset, as if nothing ever happened. It happened like three times, and I lost a hope each time, but… Well, these weird guys captured me, as if they knew about the time machine. Just when I thought I was going to die, I found you. I  _ should  _ say that  _ you  _ found  _ me _ , but I spent so long…” 

         “How long have you know Xeno?” Tenshi questions. 

         “You mean Webs?” Lotus always liked to call me Webs as a nickname. It feels nice to hear her say it again. It almost seems natural. “I’ve known him since we were both five years old. I spent a third of my life trying to find a way to see his stupid face again.” 

         Tenshi suddenly turns to me. There’s a dark look on her face, but I can tell she’s not serious. “Xeno… you seem awfully close with Miss Lotus…” 

         “We’re not anything, I swear! Yeah, we’re close, but I’d never betray you, Tenshi!” 

         “Yeah… we’re not anything…” I look at Lotus, who’s staring down at the water. 

         “Xeno! You made her upset! Say something!” 

         “Fine, fine! What happened to the time machine?” I ask.

         “Completely sabotaged. We’re stuck here. Well,  _ I’m  _ stuck here. You, I think you’re better off here.” I can’t find any reason to disagree. This world is always full of adventure, even if it’s dangerous. My old life was so boring, so being in this world is a relief. On top of that, Tenshi lives here. We both have to stay here or else things in the kingdom will get a little out of control. 

         “Prince Shugosha…” Shinrai whispers from behind me. “I think we’re being watched…” I look at her and try to see anything from behind without seeming suspicious. For a brief second, I saw I light as if we were being stalked by a sniper. I smile and laugh so that I seem unaware of the stalker. Then there’s a flash and a loud boom in the distance.

         Before I even realize it, there’s blood all over me. I have to blink a couple times to notice what’s going on. All over me, and in the water, is a crimson liquid. The source, Shinrai’s stomach. I was expecting a spell, or even an arrow, but a bullet was fired instead. It went straight through from this distance so it was, indeed, a sniper. Time seems to stop as I think of what to do. “What the f-!”

         “Shinrai!” Lotus and Tenshi scream and come over. I hold Shinrai, who is coughing, in my arms. I see Konton at the shore looking for the culprit. Whoever it was is most likely from S.E.M. It would be impossible for anyone else to obtain a rifle. Shinrai’s face is tense with pain. 

         “It hurts…” There’s tears forming in her eyes. I was shot before so I know exactly what she’s going through. I transfer Shinrai’s body to Lotus. I need to observe the situation.

         “You’re going to be okay!” Tenshi is performing healing magic to seal the wound. Because it went straight through, there’s no need to find the bullet. I see the light again and the sniper takes another shot. This time, I use the Sword of Time to freeze time and dodge it. They’re aiming for me. I observe to bullet to see its caliber. It seems to be a 7.92x57 millimeter Mauser bullet, likely fired from something like a Karabiner 98 kurz, aka the Kar98k. It’s also likely that whoever is firing developed a scope. I guess all this video game knowledge that I have is becoming of some use.

         “There’s a sniper! Get down!” Tenshi has finished treating Shinrai, but she’s still in shock from the pain. She’s being dragged around by Lotus and Tenshi. 

         We have to get to the shore or else we’re done for. A distraction is necessary. Konton should be able to hear my thoughts due to our Spirit bond. “ _ Throw some firebolts in their direction. _ ” As I thought, I see Konton during spells into the forest. The flames burst, but don’t linger to prevent a forest fire. The sniper shots stop for a moment, so we make our way to the shore. Upon arrival, we get into our regular clothes. Tenshi, Lotus, and I, unfortunately, lack our battle outfits meaning we’re not protected at all. Tenshi can heal us, but it’s over if one of us gets shot in the head. 

         As we approach the forests, I can hear a couple voices. They’re both middle aged males. “You idiot! You were supposed to aim for the head! The Prince’s death would create just the right amount of chaos we need!” One man shouts.

         “Forgive me! I am unfamiliar with this type of weapon!” The other man says.

         “I’m not saying I know how to use it, but did you think the projectile wouldn’t be affected by the wind?!” It seems that someone had brought the rifle from the Old World or had it produced and gave it to S.E.M’s underlings without instructing them on how to use it. Unfortunately for them, I brought Defiance with me and know how it works. I take it out of its holster, ensure that the chamber is full, and head towards where the shots came from on my own. Everyone else besides Konton is tending to Shinrai. 

         I sneak through the bushes, trying to be as quiet as possible. The men are still arguing, so their voices cover any sound I’m making. Upon approaching them, I can see their outfits. Both are wearing the same cloaks that the mages from S.E.M were wearing. They appear to be mages, but they’re also trying to figure out how to use the rifle. If S.E.M is mass producing guns, it could mean the beginning of a new era for this world which hasn’t even industrialized yet. 

         “Don’t move!” I stand up and aim Defiance at the two men. They jump and fix their gazes on me. The man holding the rifle drops it. Neither of them expected to be confronted directly. Konton appears behind me. “You made an attempt on my life, so you’re going to prison!” I cast a spell on them to bind their hands, the same spell that Ketsueki used on me when we first encountered her. It feels a little ironic. A purple, glowing rope forms around their wrists. 

         I remove their cloaks. They’re no one notable. I also decide to check for other weapons. They have knives, and a holster. Inside the holster is a handgun resembling a Mauser C96, a semi-automatic German pistol.  “Tell me, where did you get these weapons?” 

         “We don’t have any obligation to tell you! You’re our target! You’ll be dead soon enough!” 

         “I said…” I give the one who talked back a swift kick in the leg, causing him to fall on the ground. “Where did you get these?!” 

         The not-so-smart one, the one who shot the rifle, speaks up first. “The higher ups distributed weapons like these to nearly everyone! They’re Precursor in origin! I don’t know anything else!” 

         “Shut up! We aren’t supposed to tell him anything!” 

         “This guy’s royalty! He could have us executed if he wanted to!” 

         “Our orders were clear! Kill him or that princess or die trying!” 

         “Then why didn’t you do anything when he caught us, huh?”

         “He had us at gunpoint! What was I supposed to do?”

         “Enough!” I shout. “Both of you, you’re coming with me! You’ll have a nice time in the interrogation room…” 

         With the help of the others, we escorted the men to the palace’s prison. They were surprisingly cooperatives, likely because they know their place. The prison is mostly underground, but there’s windows by the surface for lighting. Shinrai seems to be incredibly nervous, but I don’t blame her. Nearly being killed will strongly affect the mind of the victim.

         Because of the incident, they’ve ordered Tenshi and I to stay in the palace. It was infiltrated by Seishin before, so the guards are on high alert. Lotus is a guest, so she’s been given access to a guest room. Shinrai is a knight, so she has access to the barracks. Because she was promoted by me, she has authority over most of the other knights. 

         That night, I did some thinking. If most of S.E.M’s mages have advanced weapons, it’s likely that things are about to take a turn for the worse. S.E.M’s goal is the create a common enemy for the world to face, so it’s reasonable to think they are spread out along several countries already. What sort of chaos is about to go down? Only time will tell.


	18. World at War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> S.E.M begins to attack the local cities, and this is only the beginning of their plans.

Chapter 18, “World At War”

 

         One week has passed since the failed assassination attempt. We’ve sent word to the maid at Tenshi’s manor that we’re staying at the palace until further notice. We also got a reply saying that the demon child, which I’ll call Shizuka from now on, is there as well. Apparently, Lotus dropped her off while being escorted to the palace. Shizuka has been bugging the maid to see Tenshi and I, calling us her older siblings. I can’t help but think about what Ketsueki did to her to damage her mind. Both of her parents were vampires and she was the only one left sane. That couldn’t have been easy on her, assuming she used to be capable of being independent. 

         A couple days ago, Tenshi gave in to secondary Spirit, the Succubus, once more. Despite her innocent personality, she’s still a girl and feels the same things that anyone else her age would feel. Her excuse to get me to participate in “post-bedtime activities” with her is that we need to produce an heir to the throne one day. It’s true, so I can’t find a proper argument. Also, despite the name, it doesn’t actually leech off of my own life force. Tenshi doesn’t seem to acknowledge that it happened the day after, as with last time. I wonder if she actually remembers or not.

         Anyway, the guards switch out every six hours so that the entire place can be secure. Shinrai and Lotus can come in and leave as they desire, but Tenshi and I are ordered to stay inside. The King himself ordered it, so we can’t do anything about it. I was planning on training myself a little more via the Adventuring Guild, but I’ll have to get permission to leave. 

         “My Lord,” a knight approaches me. In the palace, the knights have replaced the positions of the guards. Guards’ armor is slightly weaker than that of the knights. They’re not meant to fight other soldiers, so their armor is lighter. “This is the information given to us by the prisoners.” 

         “Alright, I’ll give it a read.” I take the paper handed to me by the knight and unfold it as he walks away. I pace while reading it.

_ My Lord, The following information was given to us by the prisoners. _

 

_ -They are working for the Society of Evil Mages. _

_ -They are ordered to die for their cause and not give information to outsiders (this information was given after multiple sessions of physical torture).  _

_ -Their weapons are produced and distributed by their higher-ups, they are Precursor in origin. _

_ -They have recovered various Precursor technology which can cause destruction, such as explosives and other weapons. _

_ -They’re planning on attacking nearby cities. We’ve sent word to them, so they should be prepared. _

_ -People of authority, such as you, are to join them or be eliminated.  _

 

_ We recommend that you have knights with you at all times. Please be prepared for the worst.  _

 

         This information tells me very little. The only thing I didn’t know was that they plan on attacking cities directly with Precursor weapons. Bombs and gas could completely destroy the cities. If they’re spread out along other countries, things could become apocalyptic. Their plan is practically flawless. If they attack everywhere at once, it’ll force all of the countries to form an alliance and attack. 

         A single knight comes running from the entrance. “My Lord! Scouts have spotted an unidentified army heading towards Heiwa!” Heiwa is the city which Tenshi and I live by. If it’s S.E.M, they’re clearly aware of that. “We believe them to be the Society of Evil Mages! They all have weapons like the ones you confiscated from the prisoners!” 

         “They  _ all  _ had weapons like that?!” I become alert. The city is done for if they all have firearms and rifles. 

         “According to the scouts’ report, yes. What shall we do?” 

         “Peace isn’t an option with them. Assemble an army! They’re coming with me! Tell Tenshi to…” I was planning on leaving her behind, but I don’t think she’d like that. “Come with me, too!”

         “As you wish, my Lord!” He salutes and then heads to the barracks. He also tells another knight to head to Tenshi’s quarters. I can already tell that this battle is going to be big. This is only the start of everything.

         I’m riding the King’s own horse, with Tenshi sitting behind me. Shinrai has her own horse and is traveling beside me. Behind us is an army of one thousand knights. The palace can’t possibly have so many knights in one place, so we traveled to other barracks near other cities and had gem come along. There’s more knights located in strategic positions, but the majority is with us. 

         There’s only one thing I can see in the distance, smoke. It’s not some mere bonfire, the entire city must be on fire. The sight forces me to go faster, the the knights follow. Upon arrival, it’s as bad as I thought it to be. 

         Along with the burning buildings, there’s people running in terror in every which direction. The culprits; mages from S.E.M. They don’t seem to be killing the civilians, but they  _ are  _ attempting to injure them. Their ultimate goal is world peace, so it makes sense. Still, they’re causing terror and must be stopped before people are actually killed. 

         One of them looks at me and shouts, “There’s a priority target! Get him!” He pulls out something that resembles an M3 submachine gun and begins firing. I was fortunate to dodg and find cover. They manage to injure a few unlucky knights. Tenshi instintively checks over me for wounds, but I tell her that I’m fine. Shinrai also finds her way to us. 

         “We’re sitting ducks here! Do something!” Shinrai’s “tsun” side is showing.

         “I know!” I say. “ I have a plan! I’ll provide covering fire. You go around and take him from behind, got it?”

         “Yeah, I’m no amateur, unlike you!” It’s been a while since she has called me that, so it makes me smile. 

_          Bang!  _ I fire Defiance and the mage fires back. I’m using a handgun against a submachine gun, this doesn’t feel exactly fair. After exchanging several bullets, I see Shinrai appear behind him. She takes her bow and knocks it into his head without mercy, rendering him unconscious. Tenshi and I stand up once it’s over. 

         “Tenshi! Go around and help the civilians! I’ll fight these guys myself.”

         “Right! Don’t get hurt, okay?” 

         ”If anything happens, I can heal myself. Don’t worry about me until we clear the city!” Tenshi nods and goes off to find where everyone is hiding. “Shinrai! Go find and rescue civilians!”

         “Alright!” She heads off own her own. The knights behind me are occupied, so I have to proceed alone. I hear shots being fired so I follow them. Oddly, it sounds like they’re being fired at each other, but I’m the only one who should have a gun besides S.E.M. Did someone find one on the ground and figure out how to use it?

         I continue to follow the shots and find it that one of them is coming from the Adventuring Guild. Inside, there’s a man taking cover behind the door from the inside. It’s… the guild manager?! And in his hand is nothing other than an M1911, an American gun. He’s holding it with one hand as if he has experience with it. “Hey, kid! Get the hell inside!” He pulls me by the hand despite my heavy armor. 

         “You… What are  _ you  _ of all people doing with an M1911?!”

         “Don’t have time to explain! It’ll be easier if I just tell ya my name! It’s Titor! John Titor!”

         “John Titor?! You were here the whole time? Where’s your time machine?” I have so many questions, but we’re being shot at. 

         “Sabotaged! Now let me see that pistol of yours!” I trust him, so I hand over Defiance and he takes it with his left hand. I think about what Lotus said, about her machine being destroyed, and the attack at A.T.R.O. It’s no coincidence, S.E.M/G.U.S are against the existence of time machines. 

         “Get outta our city!” Titor shouts as he runs towards the armed mage with a handgun in each hand. With the rapid firing, he lands a shot on the mage and they retreat. Titor tosses Defience at me and I catch it on my right hand. The chamber is empty, so I reload it. There’s about thirty shots left in total. 

         “The entire city is a war zone! Come on, let’s go do what we can do!” Titor begins to run off and I follow him. We encounter several guildsmen fighting off mages, desperately trying to dodge bullets. Some of them are already injured and are struggling to survive. Their healer is frantically running around trying to heal everyone. They’re surrounded, so I need to create an opening for them. 

         I decide that the quickest way to do so is to throw a fire bolt at them and charge in. Titor follows me as I proceed. He punches one of the mages and knocks them unconscious in an instant. I almost stop to stare in awe, but I realize that there’s no time. I still can’t believe I’m running alongside  _ the _ John Titor which I thought to be a hoax. “Everyone! Run!” The guildsmen notice the opening and dart for it. They barely manage to escape unscathed. 

         “Titor! Take the guildsmen and find the rest of them! I’ll head for the town hall!”

         “You got it!” Titor and the guildsmen head in the opposite direction. He stops and looks back at me for a moment. “Good luck, kid. You’re gonna need it!” He then continues running. 

          There’s a big open area in front of the town hall. There’s fire around the entire area, forming a circle that looks like an arena. I don’t like this… I go to the town hall’s door and hesitate. Please let the civilians be in here… And then I gently open the door.

         A knife is thrown in my direction and it cuts my cheek open. It’s just a cut, so I don’t bother to heal it. There’s a silhouette of a girl running towards me and then I feel a sudden force on my chest. Whoever it was kicked me hard enough to force me outside the door and into the firey arena. The door slams shut before I can get a look at the culprit. It’s likely that they’re the leader of this attack. There’s only one person I know who can use knives like whoever this is, but it couldn’t be her. Ketsueki defied Seishin and killed herself for my own sake. After that, Seishin likely pulled the plug on her cloning machine. 

         As I get up, I see that I’m surrounded by mages. They’re all cloaked and their faces are hidden. “You have two choices,” one of them says. “You can become one of us, or become our prisoner…”

         “Huh, didn’t you just try to assassinate me the other day? Now you want me to be your prisoner?”

         “Killing you is only our last resort. Our priority is to capture you.”

         “Why? So you can twist my mind and force me to become your slave? That’s already been tried!”

         “You underestimate our master! He’s only been growing stronger with each passing day! You won’t be able to resist this time!”

         “Fine, I’ll let you take me… but make sure I’m dead first! I don’t ever join your side while I live!”

         “You heard him! He won’t let us take him alive, so kill him!” They unholster their pistols and aim at me.

         “The Sword of Time! Freeze time!” While time is frozen, I unholster Defiance and put a shot into each of them. I aimed not to kill, but to incapacitate. Time resumed and they all have backward on the ground. I reload Defiance and ready myself. I feel like there’s more of them coming. 

         They appear suddenly in the fire. I was right. This time, there’s more than six of them. One whole chamber won’t be enough to take them all down. I could use some help, but I don’t think anyone is coming. Where’s Red, Lance, and Blue when you need them?!

         The mages keep attacking, wave after wave. Some of them get wise and decide to use magic attacks from a distance. Fireballs, ice spikes, rocks, and bolts of electricity keep getting thrown in my direction. My armor absorbs most of the damage, but it can only keep it up for so long. When a single bullet isn’t enough, I use my own magic attacks to defeat them. Still, they keep coming. 

         I’m all out of bullets and even if I did, I don’t have time to reload. I’ll have to make use of the sword of time. Tens of them come out at a time and I have to strike them down one by one. Eventually, they don’t even come in waves. They simply keep coming. I get the idea that if I jam the Sword of Time then I could do some damage. It’s the same thing I did when I warped through time after Tenshi “died,” but maybe it has a secondary effect. I desperately raise the sword in the air and force it into the ground.

         A wave of energy bursts from the spot where the sword is. It’s blue, the same color as the sword’s energy. While I was unaffected, it felt like static electricity was flowing all over me. Everyone else around me gets knocked down as if they were pushed over. While they’re vulnerable, I incapacitate them with binding spells. As they charge towards me, I shoot down a few with ranged spells and take some more down with the Sword of Time. They won’t stop coming! How many men do they have?!

         After a couple minutes, I run out of breath. The Sword of Time is low on energy and is flashing in and out of existence like a dying flame. I use it to support my body like a cane. Due to my exhaustion, I feel heavy and might pass out any minute. I take a look around and see that I’m still surrounded, as if my efforts to defend myself were completely futile. 

         Without any warning, a sword is thrown at me and I manage to catch it. It was thrown not as an attack, but for me to take it as I did. I look around to find who threw it and see three two silhouettes behind the fire. They climb a roof and jump into the arena. It’s Red and Lance! Blue isn’t fit for combat, so she’s probably just watching from a distance. 

         “Ufufu… Attacking a perfectly preserved Precursor specimen, how reckless! At least met me sample his DNA before he dies!” I don’t want to know how Red plans to sample my DNA, but I’m glad I have her at my side. Lance is standing beside her with his spear. 

         “Looks like you could use some backup!” 

         “You’re late to the party! Come on, don’t just stand there!” Immediately, Lance and Red jump into action. Lance uses his spear to incapacitate and spare them like I did. Blows with the end of the spear, not the tip, quickly knock the wind out of them. Then, he whacks them on the head with the shaft. They easily fall down. Red has a different method of combat. Her beast-like strength allows her to use her hands and feet effectively. A single punch is enough to knock down an opponent, and a kick blows them back several meters. 

          A minute of combat later, the enemies are lacking in numbers. From an optimistic view of the situation, we might just be able to escape. However, the only way out of the ring of fire is through the town hall. I open the door and make sure it’s clear. That girl I say earlier is nowhere to be seen. “In here! Come on!” Lance and Red look up at me then follow me. There’s several mages behind them, but we slam the doors shut on them and lock it. “All we have to do is find a back entrance and we’ll get out of here!”

         Something crashes through the ceiling, from the second floor. It’s not just an object, it’s a live person. A girl, the same from earlier. Upon closer inspection, it  _ is  _ Ketsueki, but how is she still alive? “Not so fast,” she says. She’s dual wielding knives, sharp enough to rip our flesh apart. They’re more like the fangs of a snake, or a vampire in this case, ready to strike. Red and Lance prepare for a fight, but I’m exhausted. 

         “Ketsueki… How did you manage to survive? There’s no way Seishin would’ve let you off after what you did.”

         “Ketsueki…” She speaks as if the name of unfamiliar to her. “Was that my previous name? No matter, I shall kill you here and now.”

         “What happened to you? You aren’t the same…”

         “What happened to me? I am  _ the Final Model _ . I am the perfect servant for Master. I obey his every word. I do not have the mental capacity to rebel, he guaranteed it.” 

         “No, that’s impossible! You’re human! Maybe he just locked off that part of your brain that thinks that way, but I know you’re capable of more than this!” 

         “Silence, boy. You’ve clearly shown that you don’t desire to be one of us, so you must die.”

         “You’re wrong… I know you don’t want to. That’s what Seishin wants, but what do  _ you  _ want?”

         “Shut up!” Ketsueki becomes angry. She’s trying to deny the truth, I can see it in her face. The conflict between her own desires and those put into her brain forcefully by Seishin. He must’ve took one of the clones and manipulated its mind until it was nothing but a puppet. He brainwashed her. She readies her knives and charges in. Red kicks her, hardly, and she flies backwards. Instead of hitting a wall, Ketsueki does a backflip and lands on her feet. She uses the momentum to bounce back towards us. This time Lance uses his spear to block the knives. She has two, so he’s having difficulty doing so. After several seconds, Ketsueki lands a hug and stabs Lance’s right arm. 

         “Dammit. I don’t think I can keep fighting like this!” Lance says with a pained expression. I try to heal him, but Ketsueki places herself between us. 

         “Final chance. Join us, or die.”

         “No, don’t make me choose!  _ You’re  _ the one that has to choose! Are you your own person, or are you just Seishin’s dog?!”

         Ketsueki holds her head and screams as if she’s in pain. I recognize this as one of the side effects of mind manipulation. It occurs because the brain is conflicted between two different memories. “I won’t hurt Darling…” Upon hearing those words, I can’t help but smile. This battle’s outcome has already been determined. “You’re wrong… you’re wrong… you’re wrong!” Ketsueki angrily throws a knife at me, and it enters my stomach. I begin coughing immedietly. “Darling! I didn’t mean to! I…” She holds her head again as if in pain. 

         “See…? You know… I’m right… Red, stop her…” It becomes difficult to breathe. Red tries to give Ketsueki a punch, but she doges. 

         “I know your every move. I was made  _ after  _ you.” Red attempts to attack several times, but Ketsueki dodges every single one. “Your attacks are futile!” Red is now exhausted, unable to fight. I’ve recovered some energy, not a lot, so I’m the only one left who is able to do anything. 

         “You look like you don’t even have the energy to fight. Pathetic. You’ll die painlessly, just hold still.”

         “Go on… Do it…” My blood continues to spill on the floor. I’ve tried to heal myself, but the pain won’t let me focus hard enough to perform the magic. Casting spells requires concentration. 

         “I’ll make it quick.” She prepares her knife. The other is still lodged in my stomach. She walks up to me, then goes for the final strike. However, she stops just before the blade makes contact with my skin. Her hand is shaking. She can’t do it. 

         “You!” She screams. “You’re just a target! You’re nothing to me! So why can’t I…” 

         “Because… I’m… your Darling…” I step forward and try to hug her, but she pushes me backwards and I hit the floor. The pain in my wound is incredible. 

         “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” She sits on my legs so I can’t move. There’s a fist in each of her hands. She’s going to beat me to death. She strikes me with all of her strength. “You’re nothing to me! Just die!” I smile more with each punch to the face. My jaw, my cheeks, and just about are now bruised. I smile not because I know I’ll die, but because I can feel each punch get weaker. This violent version of Ketsueki is losing over the old version. Then I feel something wet on my face, tears. She’s sitting there, crying, confused about what to do. 

Right before I thought she was going to give up, she takes her remaining knife and goes for the final stab. I can tell that this time she’s not going to stop. She’s going to kill me to end her own suffering. As the knife starts to come down, the door slams open and someone kicks Ketsueki off of me. I look up and see Shinrai. “Look at you, you stupid amateur! You almost went and died! How stupid of you!” Shinrai’s tone is slightly upset. If anything, it’s because she can’t stand the sight of me beaten up on the ground. “Can you stand?”

         “Yeah, but barely… I pull myself off the ground with great effort. I need a healer, and fast. I pull out the knife from my stomach and throw it outside. It hurts, a lot, but I have to survive for Tenshi’s sake. “Ketsueki… get yourself together…”

         “I…” Ketsueki hesitates. At first, she seems like she’s about to give in to her original thoughts, that I had won, but then she smiles menacingly. I hear the footsteps from behind me. 

         “Shinrai… Run!” 

         “Huh?!” She turns around to see the barrel of C96 pistol being aimed between her eyes. Before I can say anything, there’s a loud bang and a spray of blood. I fall on my knees. The physical pain was enough, but now there’s more than that. On the floor, with her eyes wide open, is the corpse of Shinrai, the archer. She’s motionless, lifeless, not even moving a little bit. She’s just… gone… 

         “I told you,” Seishin says with no worries at all, “that one of you must die.”

         “No… this… isn’t happening…” Before I can react, I pass out from the blood loss. 

          When I finally open my eyes, I see that I’m being held prisoner in some S.E.M facility. It’s not the same place as last time, so I’m clueless about where I am. This time, I’m simply locked in a room with no exit. The walls are the same purple-black marble-like material. The door is solid metal and can’t be knocked down by myself. There’s a bed in the corner of the room, a torch on the wall, and an opening in the door which only opens from the other side. The opening is likely for food.

         Before I can figure out a course of action, I remember Shinrai. Her blood sprayed everywhere, and all over me. I remember the thump on the floor, the crack of the bullet, and every other little detail. The Amygdala, it gets the brain to become super analytical of everything after a traumatic event. Right now, it has my brain in overdrive. I try to take advantage of this and analyze the room, but I turn out empty handed. There’s no openings anywhere besides on the door, I have no lockpicks, and I doubt one of the walls happens to be weak. I guess I’ll just sleep until something wakes me. 

         Several hours later, there’s a knocking on the door. It echoes throughout the room. Whoever is on the other side is knocking with significant force. They don’t seem to be stopping. “Alright! I’m up, I’m up!” I shout and the knocking stops. The handle slowly turns and then the door opens. It’s Ketsueki, staring at me with angry eyes. 

         “Your breakfast, prisoner.” She places a tray of food on the floor. There’s some eggs, toast, and some water. It smells surprisingly good for prison food. 

         “Why not just kill me, huh?” I’ve made it clear that I won’t cooperate with S.E.M. Since I’m a priority target, I could be dangerous to their cause. 

         “I tried to kill you, but…”

         “What? You couldn’t do it, could you?”

         “Shut up!” She takes the cup and throws it at me. The glass shatters and the water soaks my blood stained clothes. “You know nothing about me! You’re just a stupid prisoner!” She takes out her knife and holds it against my throat. Her hand begins shaking again. 

         “Say, if you help me get out of here, I’ll give you what you want.”

         “I want nothing but your death,” Ketsueki says coldly as she backs away. 

         “No, I  _ know  _ there’s something else. You want  _ me _ , don’t you?”

         “You’re wrong! You’re wrong! I wish only to see my Master succeed!”

         “If you refuse to see the truth, then I shall show it to you.”

         “What?!” Ketsueki begins backing up, heading towards the door, but I stand up and follow her. When I get close enough, I embrace her in my arms like I would for Tenshi. 

         “It’s not too late… I can still think of you as an ally, a friend, so please, just stop… Make up your mind… Love me or kill me, it’s your decision…” 

         “Da...rling?” She stands silently for a moment before screaming in pain. She shoves me off of her and holds her head in her hands. After several seconds, she becomes silent. Without any warning, she smiles and lets put a laugh. I said that she could kill me if she chooses, but I  _ really  _ hope she doesn’t actually plan on killing me! 

         “You see, I’ve always been a little sadistic…” The intimidating, slightly sudictive tone in her voice returns to her. Before, she sounded like a cold-blooded killer. “That look on your face… Fear… it’s exactly what I want to see…”

         “Are you… okay?” I approach her slowly.

         “Okay? I’ve never felt better! Let me get a taste of you!”

         “Huh?!” Before I can get away, she jumps on me and forces me onto the ground. Her hands restrain the movement of my arms. Then she licks the cut on my check, which still is bleeding.

          “I’ve missed this taste. If only you were mine, I could have you all to myself, but you’re with that pretty princess girl, aren’t you?” 

         “I get the point… you’re fine… Get off of me!” 

         “Oh-ho? You don’t want to have a little fun?” I realize that Ketsueki is still on top of me. 

         “I’m married, you know!” 

         “You’re no fun, Darling… but if that’s what you want…” She gets off of me and allows me to stand up. 

         “Okay, so now what?” I ask. 

         “Now what? I’ll get you out of here. You don’t like S.E.M do you? I’ll help you destroy the facility.”

         “The facility? Where even are we right now?”

         “An ammunition factory. I hope you won’t mind the heat…” She stands aside and lets me through the door. I wonder what Tenshi’s up to…

 

* * *

  
  


         “My Lady,” a knight approaches Tenshi at the front door of her manor. Tenshi was escorted to it after the attack. He’s covered in ash and dirt. He was part of a search and rescue party in the city after it was half burned down. “It has been three days since the attack. There’s been no word from the Prince, nor has his body been found. I hate to inform you of this, but we believe he was killed in action.” 

         “No… That can’t be… Xeno wouldn’t… He was captured before! What is there to say that he wasn’t captured again?” 

         “We found a large puddle blood. Our top mages have matched it with the Prince’s. Losing such a large amount of blood could be fatal without some sort of treatment.”

         “But you said you didn’t find a body! That means he’s still out there somewhere! We have to look!”

         “We searched the entire city and found nothing. I wish I had something else to tell you, but-.”

         “Then look harder! Xeno wouldn’t die in such a way! He can handle himself!”

         “But, my Lady, we-.”

         “I’ll do it myself!” Tenshi takes the dragon’s horn given to her by Webster and runs for the front door. A hand grabs her right wrist. She looks back. 

The lonely blonde-haired demon girl who waited over a week to see the royal couple stares at her with sad eyes. “Sister Tenshi… Bring home Brother Xeno… Please,” she says.

         “I will! Don’t worry! Just wait for me!” Tenshi replies. The child releases Tenshi’s wrist. Tenshi then heads outside. She activates her Spirit, the Guardian Angel, and uses its wings to fly into the city. She refuses to believe that Webster had died. The body of her friend, Shinrai, was found, but Webster’s was nowhere to be found. Tenshi remembers the location of where he was held last time, so that’s the first place she’ll look. 

         Upon arrival, the building is burned and nearly unrecognizable. The door is blocked with rubble and the only way past it is to climb over. Despite its appearance, this is where Webster was being kept last time. There is no room to fly, so Tenshi conceals her Spirit and climbs the rubble. The first floor is empty, filled with nothing ash as a lot of the city is. She locates the basement door heads down. 

         The facility seems abandoned. The black-purple marble material on the walls looks dirty and neglected. There is no noise other than Tenshi’s own footsteps. However,  there’s a single sheet of paper on the wall posted by some sort of adhesive material that Tenshi hasn’t seen before. Her conclusion is that it’s a Precursor invention. 

         The note reads: 

_ If you’re looking for your precious Prince, come alone to the ammunition factory. The location is…  _

         The handwriting is neat, but unrecognizable. It doesn’t match Webster’s or anyone she knows. The logical conclusion that Tenshi reaches is that it’s from S.E.M. It appears they’ve captured him once more in an attempt to assimilate him. Tenshi knows that they can manipulate memories, and they’ve done it to Webster before and failed, so they must be making a second attempt. With this is mind, Tenshi becomes alert and rushes out of the basement.

         Before heading out to Webster’s location, Tenshi decides to stop by the remains of the city hall. It’s still relatively intact, but the second floor is covered by the rubble from the roof. On the inside is a sword stuck into the floor, marking the death of a knight, and a dried puddle of blood. “This is terrible,” she says to herself. Some of it is splattered in various places, but there’s an odd trail that leads outside. Based on his pattern of the blood, it looks more like Webster was dragged outside rather than crawling by himself. Eventually, the trail stops and turns into drips. He was picked up by someone. This reveals nothing new to Tenshi, but she wonders how the knights didn’t pick up on this. “Maybe they were paid by S.E.M to not look for him,” she thinks. She heads outside and heads to Webster’s supposed location. It could be a trap, but she still wants to go on her own. 

* * *

  
  


         We sneak past a few armed guards. They’re all wearing hoods so their field of vision isn’t as great as it should be. “I have an idea,” Ketsueki whispers to me.

         “Alright, what is it?” 

         “You want to cripple S.E.M? You’ll have to destroy my clones.”

         “You’re a single mind, aren’t you? Wouldn’t another clone just be the same as you right now?”

         “Not necessarily. Master can just manipulate me again and again so that I obey him. That’s what happened last time, and it will happen again when he finds out. I’m supposed to be his perfect little puppet.”

         “Fine, we’ll destroy your cloning machine. Do you have a plan?”

         “The chemicals used in the tubes can explode if they mix the wrong way. If we blow it all up, it should damage everything else in here, too.”

         “Lead the way.”

         The hallways are practically a maze. I guess it was designed to confuse intruders, because it certainly has  _ me  _ confused. Ketsueki l, unlike me, has a good idea about where she’s going. After sneaking through some corridors, we find the cloning room. It’s like the lab we found in the city, full of tubes full of strange liquids and several consoles beside them. The liquid is a dark green and looks like something in a science fiction movie. The consoles have buttons like a keyboard and several other buttons on the side. They’re connected to monitors that like if a computer. Seishin is really pushing it, bringing old world tech to this world. Most of the tubes are empty except for one. Inside the tube is a clone of… me?!

         “What the hell is this?” I point to the tube with me floating inside it. Every single hair is in the right spot, my scars, and everything else is accurate. It’s nearly indistinguishable from the real me.

         “I’m… not sure. I wasn’t told about this.” Even Ketsueki seems thrown off, but she was conscious this whole time and wasn’t informed? I find that hard to believe. Something isn’t right here. 

         “I need to find my gear… Any idea where it’ll be?”

         “Try the main factory room. They’re probably trying to replicate it for that clone. I’ll stay here and rig this to explode.” 

         “Got it. I’ll meet up with you here once I find my stuff.” I turn around to exist the room. Back into that maze of hallways… alone.

 

* * *

  
  


         Tenshi heads to the coordinates given to her on the note. The area is nothing but several grassy hills with gentle slopes. There’s no sign of any enemy activity in the area. Standing on the tallest hill is Webster, or someone who seems to resemble him. He has the same armor, but his gun is missing. “Xeno…?” Tenshi reaches for his shoulder. 

         “You are not worthy of touching me, commoner,” he says coldly. He turns around and faces Tenshi. He lacks the same emotion that he usually has. 

         “Xeno? What has gotten into you? Are you feeling alright?” Tenshi is confused and unaware of how to address the situation. To her, it seems like S.E.M was successful at manipulating his mind. It would be fragile after witnessing the death of Shinrai, so it’s entirely possible, Tenshi thinks. 

         “Nothing. I am in peak condition. You, however, are flawed. Hold still and I’ll fix that.” Webster reaches his hand, aiming for above Tenshi’s head. She remembers this to be the memory altering spell that Seishin used on her. With this in mind, she swats away Webster’s hand. 

         “No! I’m not! You’re… you’re just a fake!” Tenshi cries. 

         “I’m no fake. I’ll prove it to you.” Webster moves in closer seemingly for a kiss, but Tenshi slaps him. 

         “No… I know you’re not real! Xeno wouldn’t join S.E.M!”

         Webster stares coldly at Tenshi. He feels no shame even after upsetting Tenshi. She knows that something’s not right. Before she can come to any conclusion, Webster suddenly pulls out a gun and aims at her. Tenshi is shocked and freezes.

         “Don’t worry, girl. You’ll be unconscious during the conversion.” He shoots and a dart it impales Tenshi. After several seconds, she begins to lose consciousness. 

         “Xeno…” She reaches out to him as he stares at her, but she collapses. Her vision goes black and she loses consciousness. 

 

* * *

  
  


         I’ve found the main factory room. It’s hot as hell in here because of the forges. There’s tons of men working on manufacturing bullets and if I get caught but one of them, it’s gameover. I’ve also managed to locate my armor and Defiance. Luckily, there were several bullets, about ten, already produced. It looks like Seishin was planning on taking my gun and was going to use it personally. 

         “What’s the point of capturing the royal couple? It’d be easier if we just shot ‘em dead,” one of the men speaks. 

         “The Prince has got some unique Spirit. Master said it’s priority to capture him,” another replies.

         “But why do we need them both?”

         “They’re gonna use the Princess to blackmail the Prince. If we capture her, we’ll have him on his knees.” Those bastards! They’re planning to kidnap Tenshi! I have save her before they capture her, at least that’s what I thought before the front door opened. 

         I hear the door open and look to see who’s coming in. Instead of a mere underling of S.E.M or even Seishin, I see myself. It’s not like a mirror image, but as if I was looking at myself from a third person perspective. The “me” that I’m looking at has an emotionless face and in his arms is Tenshi. Was I too late? No, I still have a chance. All I have to do is… Well, maybe I can just act like a lifeless clone and hope he won’t notice. I stand up and walk towards him.

         “Operation was a success,” he says without any suspicion. This clone has no brain at all! 

         “Understood. I shall now escort the Princess. Please hand her over,” I say while trying to replicate his tone. It’s my own voice so it’s easy to perfect. 

         “Under whose orders?” He asks. I begin to sweat a little.

         “Master, naturally. Please hand her over.” 

         He stares at me strangely, as if looking for any flaws. Then he says, “Understood. Treat her with care.” He transfers Tenshi to my own arms. “She should wake up soon. Put her in her cell before that happens.” He walks away before I can ask anything. I really thought he might’ve noticed me, so my heart rate slows down. With Tenshi in my arms, I turn around and head for the cloning room. 

         The cloning room is silent. There’s no movement or anything besides the spare clone of me floating in the tube. There is, however, a missing panel on one of the consoles and the wires seem to be rearranged. Ketsueki is gone. As I walk in further, something lands behind me and the door shuts. “Don’t move…” I feel something sharp touch the back of my neck.  Dammit, I knew something was up! 

         Ketsueki walls around me, still holding the knife against my throat. “We’re all alone right now… I could do so many things to you…” 

         “What?” 

         “For example…” Ketsueki leans forward and places her lips on mine. She blushes, almost like a normal girl, as she does so. I look down at Tenshi who has her eyes half opened. Ketsueki pulls herself back. 

         “Tenshi! It’s not what it looks like! She-!”

         “Xeno,” she whispers. She seems exhausted. S.E.M must’ve drugged her with something. “It’s okay. If she loves you just as much as I do, then there’s nothing to be done about it.” She smiles weakly. 

         “Oh-ho? That’s not the response I expected,” Ketsueki says. “I wanted to see that girl’s heart shatter as I steal her lover. Disappointing.” 

         “Tenshi, you’re just okay with this?! Aren’t we married?!” 

         “Xeno… It’s just one kiss… I can allow that.” 

         “This girl is hopelessly positive about everything. No wonder you fell for her… The other me is jealous.” 

         “The other you?” I ask. If she’s speaking about that stone cold version of her I fought earlier, I don’t think she’s correct at all. 

         “Indeed, Darling. When I’m not a vampire, I’m an average girl like the one you’re holding. I don’t think you ever got to meet her.”

         “No, I’ve seen her a couple times, but the time we had was brief. She…” It feels strange to address Ketsueki’s personality as a separate person. “...really is like Tenshi.” I look down at Tenshi again and see her smiling. I guess she just wants everyone to be happy, even a sociopath who’s out to steal me from her. 

         “By the way, that was a goodbye kiss.”

         “A goodbye kiss? Are you going somewhere?”

         “I told you, this place will explode. One of us needs to stay behind to trigger it.”

         “But… You’re one of us now, I can’t just-.”

         “Hush, Darling. I want you and your girl to live. I already kissed you, so there’s nothing else I want. Just get as far away from here as possible or else you’ll get caught in the fire.”

         “Too many of my friends are dead… I won’t let die, too.”

         “I’m sorry, Darling, but…” She pushes me out the door. I nearly drop Tenshi in the process. “I’ve already said my goodbye! Do your part and live! You can save this world!” The door slams and locks.

         “Dammit!”

         “Xeno…”

         “I’m sorry, Tenshi… Can you stand?”

         “No, I don’t think I can yet…”

         “Then I’ll just carry you! Block any projectiles coming my way, we can’t stealth our way out of this without being caught in the explosion!” 

         “I’ll try!” I look back through the door and see Ketsueki staring at me. She mouths the word, “Go,” and I obey. 

         The S.E.M mages see us as we run to our escape. While holding Tenshi, I try to find an open path and run for it. I dodge some bullets, and some deflect off of my enchanted armor. I realize that my injuries weren’t healed completely and feel pain in my chest as I run. It gets worse and worse, but I push through. Tenshi doesn’t seem to notice, so she continues to block any incoming spells, including fireballs and bolts of lightning, with magic. 

         “They’re getting away!” I hear one of the mages shout from behind me. I turn around to see my clone sprinting towards us. He has no weapons on him, at least non that I can see, so I turn around and continue running. This place will be a firey hell in a few minutes. As I pass through the front door, I slam it shut and take a hard left. When the clone exits, he instinctively goes right. I can’t believe my luck… 

          We’re in the middle of nowhere, a desolate forest probably somewhere on the country’s boundary. I hide behind a tree and make sure we’re not being chased. “Xeno… Explosion… Run!” That’s right, I have to keep running! I hold Tenshi a little tighter and start running. Suddenly, there’s a loud  _ boom  _ behind me and I feel the heat. I feel it get closer so I run even faster. I don’t even want to look back. I continue to run for a couple minutes before getting weaker.

         “You saved us, Xeno.” Tenshi is nowhere near as exhausted me I am. In fact, she seems to be recovering from whatever was injected into her. 

         “Yeah, though I think I’m going to pass out.” I’m out of breath, my legs feel a little weak, and Tenshi’s starting to feel heavy.  I place her down and sit her again a tree. I sit beside her.

         “But I lied to you…”

         “Huh? What’s this about lying?”

         “I could’ve stood on my own if I tried… I just wanted you to carry me… Punishment for letting Miss Ketsueki kiss you…”

         “I can’t tell if you’re an angel, or a little devil…” I laugh weakly. My eyelids start falling on their own and then I lose consciousness. 

         This battle has only just begun. This is my final chance to end this. I’ve sworn to never kill again, but Seishin has to be stopped and I plan on aiming for his head next time. Besides this, I have other matters to tend to. Two allies of mine have just died, and I won’t let their be another. I doubt I can do anything with the Sword of Time. I doubt I can save Shinrai from the fatal bullet that shot her. I doubt I can save Ketsueki from the explosion. I doubt I could even save Tenshi if it comes to it. I’ve already failed once and had a second chance, but I can’t risk it again. We both have to ready ourselves for this war in the little amount of time we have. 


	19. Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Webster finds himself getting reckless as Tenshi’s life becomes threatened.

Chapter 19, “Awakening”

 

         I wake up with my head in Tenshi’s lap. We’re in the manor’s master bedroom where we usually sleep. Tenshi is stroking my hair like she would with Fu. Actually, I think I see Fu resting on her shoulder. It feels nice, but it’s also awkward to just sit here. It takes me too long to notice that someone is holding my right hand, the opposite side from Tenshi. I look over and see Shizuka, the demon girl, who I haven’t seen in a while. “Brother Xeno is awake… That’s good.” I’m not sure if it’s just me, but she seems to be a little more lively than she was before. Alright, now this is really getting awkward! Time to get up! 

         “How long was I out for?” I ask. I have a tendency to be unconscious for extended periods of time these days… 

         “Not very long,” Tenshi replies. “Dinner is almost ready. Come on.” She stands up and leads me to the dining room. Shizuka follows me like some sort of pet. She seems more attached to me than Tenshi, more than likely because I was the first to speak to her. 

         At the table, Shizuka sits as close to me as possible. My theory to her attachment is that she is somewhere between feral and sentient and currently sees Tenshi and I as some sort of guardians. At first, she tried to eat with her bare hands, but examined me using silverware and attempted to do the same. I wonder, was she born like this or did she used to be completely sentient? 

         Before heading to the bath, I roamed the hallways to see how far she would follow me. I didn’t think she’d be directly behind me the entire time, but she was. “Do you need something?” I ask her. I’m not annoyed, but I’m curious.

         “No. I don’t need… anything…”

         “Do you  _ want  _ something?” 

         “I want to be with you and Sister Tenshi…” Knowing that her parents didn’t just die, but slowly went insane due to vampirism, I can’t say no to her. She’s maybe a year or so younger than Tenshi and I, so I can see her as a little sister. 

         “Well, we’re home for now. When we’re here, you can spend as much time as you want with us.”

         “Night time? During sleep?” 

         “I…” Tenshi suddenly appears behind me and answers for me.

         “Of course! Just let us know when!” Phew, I really don’t think I could answer that. Tenshi and I don’t do anything at night most of the time, but there are  _ some  _ nights where we are… active. 

         It’s now time for a bath, but Shizuka is still following me. I’ve tried to outrun her, but she unfurls her wings and starts flying at me. It’s actually quite scary when a demon is flying towards you from behind within your own home. 

         “Okay, Shizuka, I’m going to take a bath. By myself. You can’t come in, understand?”

         “But Sister Tenshi is in there. Why…?”

         “Just… wait out here, okay?”

         “Okay,” she says sadly. I feel a little guilty as I close the door.

         When Tenshi and I exist, Shizuka is standing in the exact spot where I last saw her. Did she really stand there for ten minutes?! 

         Today, I plan on going into the city and checking on things. There may be some mages lurking around, so I’ll have to bring me gear. Apparently I missed Shinrai’s funeral while I was captured, so I’m going to pay my respects to her grave by the city hall. Tenshi said she’ll also come with me so that I’m not alone. 

         “Shizuka… Tenshi and are going out for the day. Stay here with Fu and the maid, okay?”

         “Okay…” She seems a little sad, like a stray puppy, but she obeys. She stares at us from the door as Tenshi and I exit the gate. 

         “Do you think she’ll be okay?” Tenshi asks me.

         “Yeah. The maid is can take care of her, though she doesn’t have much of a presence.”

         “She’s an elf! All elves are strange like that! They live in a isolated country in the middle of the world. I wish I could see it some day.” For some reason, I don’t find the fact that the elves are a secluded race to be strange at all. It just sounds so typical of elves. I’m pretty sure I’ve read a book which had the same exact concept. 

         “Me too.”

         The entrance to the city is heavily guarded. In fact, no one who isn’t a resident or anyone with authority isn’t allowed in or out. Fortunately, Tenshi and I can use our status as royalty to go in as we please. Sadly, there’s been reports of other cities being attacked and burned down by S.E.M. This is just one of many. They were lucky that I sent in the knights, so many of the buildings are intact. 

         “Hey, kid.” Someone to my right speaks suddenly. I turn and see that it’s Titor. I still can’t believe that he’s here, an actual time traveler. Of course, I’m a time traveler as well, but Titor has his time machine back in 2036. “Wanna take a bounty? We still got some left.”

         “No, not right now. I have something important to do.” 

         “Alright. Just come back if you change your mind.” Tenshi and I continue to head towards’s Shinrai’s grave. Tenshi knows exactly where it is, so she’s leading me to it.

         Upon arrival, I see the sword stuck into the ground, a tradition in this country for deceased knights. It’s far enough into the ground that wind couldn’t possibly knock it over. It’s possible that it could be stolen, but stealing a deceased knight’s sword is considered incredibly disrespectful. There’s also a gravestone behind it on the ground. 

“ _ Here lies Shinrai, _

_ A warrior in life and a warrior in death. _

_ A personal knight of the royal family.” _

         This time, I don’t even cry. I’ve become desensitized to the deaths of my allies, my friends. Konton, Hikari, Ketsueki, Shinrai, and even Tenshi died once. If I’m not careful, Tenshi will really die permanently. I look over at Tenshi, who is visibly upset. 

         “This is horrible,” she says. 

         “Yeah…” She notices my lack of speech, so she looks at me with concern.

         “Xeno, is something on your mind?” she asks, as if she can sense my negative thoughts. I wouldn’t be surprised if she can because she’s just perceptive like that. 

         “It’s just that… I don’t think I can stop this, I’m such an incompetent loser…” 

         “Xeno, you’re-.”

         “No, Shinrai didn’t deserve this… It should be me in that grave.” Tenshi’s expression changes from upset to angry. 

         “I told you! Don’t say sad things like that! You belong  _ here _ , by my side! If you say anything else, that you belong in the Precursor world or that you should be dead, you’re just wrong! You’re wrong!” I didn’t think I’d make Tenshi this angry at me. In fact, I feel guilty for making her feel such a way. 

         “I… You’re right, I’m sorry. I’m just not sure if I save this world on my own. I  _ want  _ to, but it just seems impossible.”

         “You’re not alone. You have me,” Tenshi says as she grabs my hand. We stare into each other’s eyes for a moment. Before anything happens, a knight appears behind me. He holds a compound bow, the same one that Shinrai used. I have no idea about how she got it, but she did. 

         “My Lord, this is to be given to you,” he says to me. 

         “I don’t think I deserve this.” I take the bow and turn to Tenshi. “Tenshi, do you know how to fire a bow?” 

         “Yes, but… I think you should have it. Shinrai liked you, didn’t she?” I remember every single time I teased Shinrai knowing that I was her celebrity crush. She died before I could even tell her that I acknowledged her feelings. Again, I feel guilty. Could I have saved her? Could I have saved Konton? Could I have saved Hikari? Why did they all suffer from such awful fates? Would they be alive if I never appeared in this world?

         The answer to those questions is simple if looked at in a pessimistic light. However, Tenshi won’t allow me to think like that. She says that I belong in this world, that everything that’s happened was supposed to happen, so I should try to believe her. 

          I take a deep breath and look at her. “Thank you, Tenshi.” 

         Now that I have Shinrai’s compound bow, I need to practice shooting with it. After spending some time at Shinrai’s grave, Tenshi and I head to the Adventuring Guild. We find numerous wounded adventurers inside being taken care of by healers. Titor is also inside. “You look down, kiddo. You could use a drink.” He offers me a glass full of something that smells of alcohol.

         “I’ll pass on that. Being drunk has caused me enough trouble. I just came to find a bounty or something.”

         “Assumin’ you don’t want to fight real people… I think there’s a zombie outbreak in a nearby city. They don’t got proper healers and forgot to treat the bodies after an attack.” 

         “I guess I can do that. Tenshi, are you up for it?” 

         “There could still be survivors! We have to help them!”

         “Do you got a map?” Titor asks. 

         “No, do you?”

         “Yeah.” He takes a put of his back pocket and finds a pen. “I’ll mark the place on your map, just follow the roads.” He circles one of the nearby cities and hands the map to me.

         “Got it. Come on, Tenshi.” 

         Security has become tight, so the knights wouldn’t let us travel alone. Instead, we rode on a carriage with a couple knights. This world hasn’t been the same since S.E.M started their attacks. When we got off, one of the knights came with us in the event that S.E.M or any attackers remain.

         “My Lord, my Lady, this area is dangerous,” he warns us. “Are you sure you wish to continue?”

         “We’re going to clear it of the undead. The area isn’t closed off, so there’s the risk of the zombies escaping.” 

         “Understood, sir.” He steps aside and waits for us to pass before following us. 

         The entire city is in worse condition than the one by Tenshi’s manor. Almost none of the buildings are intact and where buildings were are now piles of rubble and ash. It reminds me of that time Ketsueki destroyed that village. This, however, wasn’t Ketsueki’s work, this is S.E.M’s common mages. There’s bullet marks all over the place, too. The Society never attacked anyone directly, but many people were killed in the fire. It seems silent as I take the firsts steps through what used to be a road. Tenshi seems a little unsettled so she grabs my hand. 

         There’s a crashing noise and a scream from somewhere nearby, likely coming from a male. “Let’s go that way!” I point to where I think the scream came from and Tenshi and the knight follow.

          Upon arriving on the scene, I see that some undead had the same idea of following the sound. There’s about five of them, and they’re going towards a reptilian male who is trapped under some rubble. Demi-humans by themselves are fairly common, but races ,such as the reptilians who have their entire bodies covered in scales, are rare. This is because most demi-humans only have animal-like parts, such as cat ears and a tail and are mostly human in appearance. 

         The knight and I set out to take down the zombies. They’re weak individually, so it only takes us about a minute to defeat all of them. Severing the spinal cord of the easiest method to defeat them. With a sword, it usually takes only several seconds. Once the area is clear, we head towards the man and lift the rubble off of his back. 

         “Th-Thank you!” the man says as get gets up. “But my daughter is still out there! She should be in the building! I know she’s still alive!” 

         “Stay here with the Princess,” I say as I begin to climb over the rubble. Because Tenshi is nearly offensless, the knight also stays behind. 

         I search the piles of charcoal, turning my hands black. I left several wooden beams and other rubble, but there’s no sign of any living thing here. I follow an opening to a larger area and listen. 

         “What the hell?” I can hear gunshots coming from the area where Tenshi and the knight were. Dammit, this was a trap to separate us! Gunshots, as loud as they are, will only draw out the dead! There’s a chance that Tenshi was shot, so I, filled with adrenaline, climb over the rubble in a rush to find her. 

         Upon returning to where I left Tenshi, I see the knight on the ground, bleeding. His armor is punctured with bullet holes. The man and Tenshi are missing, however. The knight is still alive, but he’ll die in a couple hours. I perform basic healing and seal the wounds, but he’s probably still bleeding inside. “Stay here! I’ll find the Princess!” The knight nods and lets me go without a word. I still hear gunshots so I follow them. 

         On top of the remains of a building, I see the Demi-human man holding Tenshi at gunpoint. He has the high ground, so he could easily shoot me if he wanted to. Beneath them is a horde of maybe a hundred of the undead. They’re banging on the building, which is insecure, and it’ll definitely collapse if it takes too much damage. Fortunately, they seem to be stuck and can’t move. I’ll just have to make my way through. “Stay away from us and I can guarantee her safety!” The Demi-human man has a strange accent, as if he were hissing while pronouncing his “S.” It makes sense for a reptilian, I suppose. 

         “I refuse!” I shout. Tenshi doesn’t even seem frightened at all, as if she knows I’ll succeed. 

         “Xeno, look out!” Tenshi yells at me. I look down on the ground and notice that the zombies are now heading towards me. If I’m not careful, even with armor, I’ll be ripped apart. I could use an explosion spell, but there’s a chance Tenshi will be caught in the blast. Using the Sword of Time by itself seems inefficient, but I have an idea. 

          “ _ The Sword of Time!  _ Split!” As I commanded it to, the Sword of Time splits into two smaller swords that I can hold on each hand. Ironically, time seems to slow down. I can feel my heart pounding. I stare at Tenshi with a determined face. If I screw this up, Tenshi will die for real. I won’t, I can’t, let that happen. Not again, big ever. Slowly, I begin to walk towards the horde. If I had a theme song, now would be the time to play it. 

         I swing my swords at them and their innards splatter everywhere. Some of it even gets on my face. It feels cold and gross. It’s all over my armor, too. Can I really do this ninety eight more times? 

         They fall apart with one strike, their decomposed bodies leave them soft. I don’t stop for anything, I keep walking and swinging.  _ Four, five, six, seven, eight…  _ Each kill brings me a step closer to Tenshi. 

         Without any warning, the Sword(s) of Time begins to flow with purple flames. I can feel the spiritual energy slowing throughout them. No doubt, this is Konton’s doing. The heat from the flames makes them even more vulnerable.  _ Thirty three, thirty four, thirty five…  _

         I’ve reached the building, or what used to be one, where the man is holding Tenshi. There’s still about fifty zombies it so left, but they’re all behind me. I’m exhausted and covered in sweat, so it’ll take all of my energy to climb the rubble. 

         When I reach the top, the man is staring at me with an angry face. At least, I think it’s anger. It’s hard to tell a reptilian’s facial expressions. Because he has a gun, he must be a S.E.M underling. “If you come any closer, I’ll shoot the girl!” He puts the barrel to her temple. Tenshi doesn’t seem to be scared at all. 

         “Fine!” I take Shinrai’s bow off my back and raise it  out of instinct even though I don’t have any arrows.

         “Do you think you could do anything with that?” The man laughs hysterically at me, thinking I’ve gone mad. I face my body side wards and hold the bow as if I were about to release an arrow. I have no clue what I’m doing, I’m basically moving on my own. Words come out of my mouth automatically. 

         “ _ I summon thee from thy quiver. I beseech thee, make my enemies shiver.”  _ I recognize the words as a Spirit chant, but I’ve lost control of my body. Thinking back on it, Konton mentioned that if I don’t keep my Spirit scars sealed, I may loose control. I was fortunate to not experience up until this point. “ _ The Arrow of Time!”  _

__ My hand begins to glow blue, filled with energy. It’s definitely the same energy that manifests when I summon the Sword of Time. It transfers into Shinrai’s bow and forms a glowing blue, translucent arrow. Unlike the Sword of Time, there’s no electricity flowing off of it, it’s a solid object. I take a deep breath and release the arrow. I’m not sure if it was the power of the arrow, or my senses in overdrive, but everything seems to move in slow motion. Slowly, it reaches the man and punctures his shoulder. He lets out a scream, releases Tenshi, and falls down into the remaining undead horde. I can’t see him, but I can hear him screaming in pain. The poor bastard is probably being ripped apart. 

         “Xeno, you killed him…” The words from Tenshi’s mouth hit me like a knife’s edge. The only other person I’ve killed, and completely by accident, was Konton. My heart sinks. 

         “I know… I had to…” 

         “It’s okay.” She takes my right hand and makes me feel her heartbeat. It’s beating rapidly. I’m not sure if it’s because she was actually scared, or if she’s excited to see me. “You saved me.” She moves in to hug me, but stops to notice all the guts on my armor. “Xeno, you’re covered in gross stuff! It smells bad, too!!”

         “In any case… we have to clear that horde. The knight needs our help. Tenshi, stay behind me. I’ve got an idea.” 

         “Okay.” 

         I remember Konton’s chant for her master-level spell. “ Feel the wrath of the greatest of flames! May my enemies hear my name! I am the great Dark Flame Destroyer! I cast upon thee, combustion!” I point to the center of the horde and a burst of flames explodes outwards. I use my arms to cover myself from incoming “debris.” Tenshi is behind me, so she shouldn’t get hit by anything. Because of our proximinity to the spell, the heat is intense. It clears after a moment.

         “Master!” A voice shouts in my head, “Won’t this attract more of the undead!” 

         “Yeah. It was part of my plan. If I draw them all out of their hiding spots, I can take them all down. Konton, will you help me?” 

         A purple flame manifests, then forms into a girl. Konton appears before me, smiling brightly. “Of course!”

         After climbing down, Tenshi healed the knight to the point where he could fight again. Taking out the bullets was a pain, but we managed. With the help of the knight and Konton, we fight the undead together. Tenshi stayer behind is and healer is when necessary, and provided us with stamina. 

         It’s difficult for me to kill humans, but zombies are different. Something that acts and looks human is aware of you, but a zombie is a walking corpse that seeks only to feast on any meat it can find. The only way to stop them is to kill. I’ve come to realize that the same is true for some humans. Seishin, for example, wishes to die a martyr and I’m only contributing to his cause. It’s best to end it as soon as possible.

         To clear the entire city after the explosion several couple hours. I used not only the Sword of Time, but also the arrows that are made of the same energy. The knight slashed his way through the horde, and Konton blaster them away with spells. I don’t think I saw her use anything other than her “dark firebolts,” but they were effective. 

         Of course, as Tenshi suggested, we found some survivors. There weren’t many, but we searched far and wide for them. Some of them were able to use weapons and helped as clean up the undead from the remains of the city. Now, we’re heading home. There isn’t enough space on the carriage for for the survivors, so they said the walk to another city. Tenshi fell asleep, on my shoulder, during the ride home. 

         “Come on,” Titor begs me. “There’s still a couple hours of daylight left!” 

         “No thank you. Maybe tomorrow,” I politely decline his offer. He wants Tenshi and I to clear out a goblin lair. Unlike last time I cleared out a cave of goblins, there’s many times more of them and I don’t have back up. Instead, I only have Tenshi to supply me with stamina and heal me if necessary. Well, I guess there will be a knight or two by my side, but no one could match Hikari’s skill. 

         “They ain’t hard to fight! One strike and they’re dead!”

         I sigh and turn to Tenshi.  “What do you want to do?” 

         “I don’t mind taking another bounty… Goblins aren’t very scary!” Titor smiles at me with a smug expression. I’m outnumbered here… 

         “So it’s decided… Come on, let’s head to that cave.” 

         We’re outside the cave now. It was about a forty five minute walk away from the city. Tenshi seems confident that nothing will go wrong this time, so I can’t help but believe her. Whenever she has a feeling like this, it usually comes true. 

         Anyway, I have no clue why we’re running bounties when we don’t need to… We’re royalty, so we don’t need money. I don’t find it particularly fun or anything, I really just want to live peacefully. I suppose I’m doing myself a favor by building up a reputation. After all, I was a nobody before I was married into royalty. Tenshi seems to be enjoying herself, so there that, too. 

         “My Lord, my Lady! There appears to be movement!” There’s a knight walking before us through the cave, holding a torch. He walks forward slowly and with caution, holding a sword in his free hand. Out of nowhere, a large green arm snatches the knight’s body and pulls him into the darkness. He drops the torch and the sword on the ground as he screams. Eventually, his screams become inaudible. 

         The knight behind us rushes forwards. “It’s too dangerous for you to go in alone! It would be best if we turned back!” He seems frightened, and I don’t blame him. 

         “Stand aside. I have an idea,” I say. He hesitates, but then nods and obeys. I take a deep breath before proceeding, and then shout “Fire bolt!” I throw the ball of fire down the cave to see if there’s anything in front of us. As if flies down, it reveals tons of smaller, three foot tall goblins. They all become alert at once. I summon the Sword of Time and prepare for a fight. The knight unsheathes his sword and does the same. 

         I count my streak as I strike them down. Their blood slowly covers my armor. I feel guilty for killing them, but they’re only goal is to capture people to eat.  _ One, two, three…  _

         They begin to crowd around the knight and I, limiting our nobility. They even climb on my back to disorientate me. I seize it with my hands and throw him into the ground.  _ Six, seven…  _

         Goblins are smaller, and are also faster than humans. Several of them run up to me, dodge my attacks, and go behind me. Before I can react, they grabs Tenshi by the limbs and carry her into the darkness. “Xeno!” She screams as she disappears further in the cave. 

         “My Lord! The Princess!” The remaining knight shouts. 

         For a moment, I don’t move. The goblins around me continue to climb around me, scratching at me and slamming their little clubs against by armor. In a fit of rage, I throw them all off of me by slamming them into the wall of the cave. There’s some awful crunching noises as their small bodies hit the wall. I take the closest one and twist its head, snapping it’s neck. I aid the knight and clear the goblins around him. Adrenaline pumps into my blood, and I begin to sprint deeper into the cave. The Sword of Time illuminates enough to the point where I don’t need a torch. “Stay… here…” I say as I catch my breath. 

         I strike down any creature in my path as I run.  _ Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen…  _ One of them attempts to strike me with a club, which is merely a large stick, but I catch it in my left hand. I pull on it, but the pathetic creature before me refuses to let go. Instead of wasting energy and pulling harder, I go forwards and knock my knee, which is covered in solid metal, into its chest. Even though I’m right handed, I raise the club with my left hand and strike the goblin with its own club, causing it to snap in half. It doesn’t get back up.  _ Nineteen…  _

__ “Split!” The Sword of Time splits once more into two smaller swords. With haste, I impale the goblins, pull the sword out, and continue running. How far down did they take Tenshi?!  _ Twenty-three, twenty-four… _

         The cave splits into two paths. Cautiously, I stop and listen for any shouting. From the left side, there seems to be silence. On the right, I can hear the faint echoes of a girl, likely Tenshi. To the right, it is. I continue running, but as the echoes get louder, I can make out another sound.  _ Thump… thump… thump…  _ Something large is coming. From my studies, and past experience, I have learned that the “alpha” of a goblin pack grows large to the point where it can be even taller than humans. The last time I fought an alpha goblin, Hikari defeated it in one strike. This time, however, I’m alone, and Tenshi will die if I screw up.

         I walk slowly with the two swords in front of me. Their light illuminates the path. The thumping grows louder, and eventually the alpha goblin comes into sight. He’s about three heads taller than me, and is excessively obese. It looks down and laughs at me. It’s voice is deep and roaring. It wields a larger club which could turn me into a smoothie with enough force. 

         He raises the club with his right arm, but I charge straight in. Instead of staying within his range, I roll under his legs and go behind him. Before he can turn around, I jump at his back with one of my swords and climb up, like using ice picks on an icy cliff. When I reach his neck, I slice his throat open on the front side and jump down. I return to the front and face him. He’s holding his neck, choking, and drops his club. As he’s distracted, I combine the two swords into their original form and hold it in front of me. I charge in and strike at his oversized stomach, cutting it open. Blood sprays everywhere as he falls to the ground, dying. He won’t be a threat anymore. I take his head with me.  _ Twenty-five…  _

         I continue walking down the path, exhausted. The end of the cave is a large, fire-lit, chamber. There’s a large throne made of rock in the center, likely made for the alpha. On both sides of it are piles of bones, remains of the victims. I see the armor the knight that we brought with us, the poor guy is already dead. By a fire, tied to a wooden pole with primitive rope, is Tenshi. She’s surrounded by tons of the smaller goblins. I throw the alpha goblin’s head towards them, and it rolls like a bowling ball. The goblins then appear frightened, and scramble for the exit behind me. I don’t even bother to strike at them. 

         She notices me walk in. “You’re covered in blood!” 

         “Thank goodness, you’re alright… Don’t worry, it’s not mine…” I crouch down beside her and cut the rope that’s binding her arms. “Don’t… worry…” My vision becomes blurry and I feel weak. I really was desperate to save Tenshi… 

         “Xeno, are you okay? Xeno!” Tenshi shouts as I collapse into her lap. 

         The next thing I know, my head is sitting in Tenshi’s lap in a carriage. There’s a torch that’s lighting the interior and the windows are open to let out the smoke. It appears to me the middle of the night. I see Lotus on the other side, washing off my armor of goblin guts. 

         “Are you awake, you big idiot?” Lotus seems aggravated. 

         “I kinda wish I wasn’t,” I reply.  I remove my head from Tenshi’s lap and sit beside her. She, however, is asleep. “I’m still exhausted, and I’m aching all over.”

         “If you died in there, in that cave…”

         “I didn’t.”

         “ _ If _ you did… I… I don’t think I could take it. You’re my only friend here. I heard that your girl almost died, too. What would you have done if that happened?” 

         “I… I’m not sure.” I look down at the carriage’s floor, unable to to look at Lotus. 

         “She’s asleep,” Lotus says quietly.

         “Yeah, she is…” I look to my side at Tenshi. 

         “So let me have my moment.” Before I can ask what she meant by that, Lotus leans forward and kisses my cheek while I’m distracted by Tenshi’s sleeping face. I can feel my cheeks redden. When I look at her, she smiles at me. “Hey, if it weren’t for all of this, it would’ve happened eventually.” 

         Not knowing how to react, I can only think of a joke. “Aren’t you older than me by, like, a decade, now?” She tries to speak but stops and then pretends to be angry at me. 

         “You little…” We both get a good laugh, despite the awkward situation. Our little chaos seems to have woken Tenshi. 

         “Huh? You’re awake?”

         “Y-yeah…” I’m still embarrassed because of what Lotus did. “Did anything happen while I was out?” I ask her. 

         “The blacksmith gave us more stuff for your weapon. I think he said they were called ‘bullets?’”

         “Oh, that’s good. I was pretty much out of them.”

         “Also… the knights said it was too dangerous for us to take bounties, so we’re going to be staying in the palace…” 

         “That makes sense…” 

         I’m sure it was because everyone was tired, but the rest of the ride home was silent. The only noises present were the turning of the wheels and the clacking of the horse shoes. Lotus seemed both angry and concerned, but I can see why. 

         Upon arriving at the palace, the King greeted us and asked several times if Tenshi and I were okay. Of course, we said each time that we’re fine, but just tired. He had dinner ready for us, so we ate and then headed to bed. Lotus gave me back my armor and was escorted to a guest room. 

         Unfortunately, I can’t sleep. Tenshi passed out immediately, but I’m still having trouble. I try getting closer to her, feeling her warmth, and try sleeping in various positions, but it’s just not working. Oddly, I feel a strange presence, like I’m being watching. After glancing around the room, I notice something strange. There’s a floating, glowing, white orb in front of the bed. It slowly increases in size until it reaches the size of a fist. 

         “Tenshi… Tenshi!” I gently shake her and try to wake her up, but she remains unconscious. She’s breathing, but she simply won’t wake up. I get out of bed and approach the orb cautiously. It seems to whisper to me as I get closer. The voice is familiar to me. Could this be… Hikari? I grab the orb in my right hand and it disappears.

         “Huh? Where did it go…?” Suddenly, the whispers fill my head. It’s all in the same voice, but there’s multiple speaking at the same time. I feel my body weaken as I fall to to sleep and pass out. As I lay unconscious, I hear the voice once more. 

         “Lord Xeno, I deem you worthy of this. Take it,” the voice says. There’s no doubt about it, this voice is Hikari’s. All living humans and Demi-humans possess magic in their blood, but typically only magic users have their Spirit awaken. Important and powerful non-magic users in history were known to have their Spirit awaken. Spirits also get their name because they can exist on some form even after the user is deceased. Is this what I’m seeing, a rogue awakened Spirit?

          I’m not sure if this is a dream, or some sort of vision. I can see myself standing in a vast field. There’s no grass or trees, only lifeless brown dirt. The sky is purely dark gray and as lifeless as the ground. In front of me is a stone with a sword stuck into it. I move forward to grab it. Upon touching it, my mind is bombarded with memories. 

          These memories are not new to me, I’ve seen them before, but they are not my own. I recognize them to be the memories of Hikari, whose memories I saw before she died. Images of her childhood flash like a slide show before my eyes. As I saw before, she was a laughing stock and seen as strange, but she eventually rose up above everyone else in combat. The more I pull on the sword, the more intense the memories become.

         Finally, I manage to pull the sword out of the rock. It’s golden in color, and glows with a golden yellow color in a similar manner that the Sword of Time does. However, this is not the Sword of Time, this sword is foreign to me, but I know it’s name. It’s name is…

         “Ex… calibur!” I wield the sword and then strange silhouettes surround me. Some of them are other knights, some are bandits, and others are creatures like goblins. With Excalibur in my hands, I swing and strike at the shadows. More shadow figures begin to manifest and surround me from all directions. 

         Eventually, there’s more foes around me than I can manage. I raise the legendary sword towards the sky and the sun appears, as if it were hidden behind the clouds. Its intense light illuminates the entire area. As I hold the sword, the sun shares its energy with it via a beam of golden-yellow light. The sword glows brightly, and then explodes and eradicates the shadows around me. The scene fades as I wake up.

         I’m somewhere outside in the middle of the woods. I’m wearing armor that isn’t my own, but matches Hikari’s old armor. Her armor was shaped for her feminine body, but this set matches my own body, so I don’t know where it came from. Around me on the ground are bodies of S.E.M mages. I have no memories of getting here besides the vision I had. Also on the ground are burn marks from an explosion spanning out from my position. In my hands is the golden, luminous sword that I saw in my vision, Excalibur. 

         I hear footsteps from all directions. I glance around and see hooded figures with swords, and one with a pistol. The one with the gun shoots at me, but I swing Excalibur in a downwards motion and slice the bullet in half. The two fragments of the bullet deflect and hit two of the men behind me. There’s an odd shockwave that emits from the sword and blasts the man with the gun backwards. He hits a tree and doesn’t get back up. There’s still a few men with swords closing in on me. 

         The closest one goes in for the strike, but I parry it. It only takes a second for me to overpower the other man and shove his sword in the opposite direction. Someone behind me charges in for a strike while my back is turned, but I swiftly spin around and parry it. After pushing away his sword, I perform a non fatal strike on his torso. I turn back around to face the other man. 

         We exchange several hits, but I’m on the winning side. While maintaining my breathing and remaining calm, I can keep up my stamina. I’ve used swords before, including the Sword of Time, but I’m now using a completely new set of moves that don’t belong to me. Instead, it feels like someone is guiding me, teaching me new moves as I continue to battle. With this speed and precision, it could only be Hikari. Eventually, I knock the swordsman onto the ground, then he and the other men sprint off in separate directions. Not only were they wounded, but they also seemed afraid of Excalibur, which I have “sheathed” as I do with the Sword of Time.

         “Xeno!” Someone shouts in the distance. I turn around and see Tenshi running to me. When she gets close enough, we wraps her arms around me tightly. “I was so worried! I didn’t know what to do!” I can see tears flowing from her eyes. 

         “I, uh, actually don’t know how I got here,” I say truthfully. 

         “You don’t?” 

         “The last thing I remember is going to sleep with you. What happened?”

         “You got up and said ‘Excuse me, Princess. There’s somewhere I must be,’ and then you ran outside! It didn’t sound like you at all! I was worried!” 

         While Tenshi clings to me, I reflect on what just happened. Hikari’s Spirit must have seen me take down the goblins and thought I was worthy to host it. With her memories implanted into my mind, I now have Hikari’s skill set mixed into my own, I’m as powerful as her. I must’ve lost control over the Spirit and targeted this S.E.M hideout. 

         I’ve also realized something else. When Tenshi is in danger, I tend to put all of my effort and energy into fighting until she’s safe. She’s the only thing I have left in this world and if she dies, then I’ll be left with nothing. I got reckless with the goblins and I might’ve gotten hurt if I wasn’t careful. With these new moves from what I assume is Hikari’s Spirit, I feel that I finally fight like a true warrior. 

         “Tenshi,” I whisper. 

         “What?” She asks me. 

         “I think… I’m ready to face Seishin. I’m going to end this…. once and for all.”


End file.
